Australian tennis champion Mark Philippoussis was lucky to survive a surfing accident near Geelong this morning.
Philippoussis, 31, reportedly ignored the warnings of local surfers and ventured into the dangerous surf at Winki Pop, a notorious break at the Great Ocean Road's famous Bells Beach.
His board was snapped in the monster swell, before he was swept into an area locals call "the valley".
There, Philippoussis took refuge in a cave for nearly two hours.
"I said, 'Mate, I wouldn't be going out here'," local surfer Steve Ryan told National Nine News of his warning to Philippoussis.
"So he left, [but] next thing you know I see him paddle out and he nearly got taken out by a big set.
"It was pretty treacherous."
Beach goers raced to alert his girlfriend, who was waiting for the tennis star to return at a nearby carpark.
The US Open and Wimbledon runner up is now resting at his parents' home in Williamstown, nursing cut feet and an injured hip.
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