Rookie Australian Connor O'Leary has eliminated surfing legend Kelly Slater in the third round of the Fiji Pro.

Countryman Joel Parkinson also progressed to the fourth round at Cloudbreak on Tuesday, but Australian three-time world champion Mick Fanning was knocked out.

O'Leary, ranked 15 in the world, won with a combined score of 10.74 from his two best waves to 11-time world champion Slater's 10.34.

Neither surfer was able to post a big score in 1-1.5-metre waves as competition resumed after a week on hold due to low swell.

"It is always tough to win that low-scoring, but I am over the moon," O'Leary said.

"I thought the energy was there at the start, but as soon as the trades came up, it went to nothing.

"I was glad I had two average scores to finish it off. I made a few errors on a few waves that I could have maximized my score on, but I am stoked to win."

O'Leary will meet Parkinson and France's Joan Duru for a place in the non- elimination fourth-round, with automatic qualification for the quarter-finals up for grabs.

World No.6 Parkinson beat Frenchman Jeremy Flores 15.30 to 13.84.

Fanning was eliminated in the opening heat on Tuesday by French Polynesian Michel Bourez 13.53 to 11.20.

On a day of upsets, South African world No.2 Jordy Smith was beaten by Duru.

AAP