The match itself lasted three hours and 17 minutes but with play stopped twice, and suspended midway through the second set due to heavy rain in Melbourne, the drama stretched beyond six hours on Wednesday.
World No.68 Vukic was leading 22nd seed Korda 6-4 2-4 before the rain stoppage and ultimately prevailed 6-4 3-6 2-6 6-3 7-5 on Kia Arena.
The 28-year-old earned the key break of serve in the decider at 5-5 and finished the match off with a thumping ace.
It's Vukic's day at Kia Arena 🇦🇺— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) The Aussie storms into his maiden grand slam third round, defeating Sebastian Korda 6-4 3-6 2-6 6-3 7-5.@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/q5Jhhz8c0XJanuary 15, 2025
"Lets freaking go. Come on!" Vukic said in his on-court interview.
"I've had a few good wins but that one in a grand slam, in a five-setter, is really nice.
"It's so good to win in five sets. It'd be nice to win in three, but winning in five in Australia, I'm tired but I'm pretty awake as well. So I'll take it."
When asked if it was the best win of his career, Vukic said: "I think so.Â
"I think in terms of the situation, in terms of the atmosphere, in terms of everything.Â
"I think being down two sets to one against a great player in Korda, and fighting back when things weren't looking too good for me then and making my first third round.
"Yeah, it's got to be the best or one of the best, for sure."
The breakthrough at a slam is particularly special for the 28-year-old.
"It's always kind of like, I think I can do better than second round," he said.
"I was like, I don't want to just make second round. I want to do more.Â
"I don't want to just settle for that."
During a two-hour break, Vukic and his team ate chicken and rice while watching countrywoman Ajla Tomljanovic's match.
Vukic hailed the home crowd for lifting him after Korda claimed the second and third sets.
"When they were singing, I wanted to sing as well at some points," he said.
He will play 15th seed Jack Draper in the third round after the Englishman outlasted Thanasi Kokkinakis over five sets.
"Listen, I'm not expecting things to get easier the further you go in a grand slam, nor would I want it that way," Vukic said.
"No matter who I play, I'm going to cherish the occasion and go for the win."
Vukic and James Duckworth are scheduled to play Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios in their doubles opener on Thursday night - and he has no plans of pulling out.
"I just talked to my partner, Duckworth," Vukic said.
"We were like, 'We good? We're good. Let's go.'"
