Djokovic, Federer, Sere, Sharapova cruise to next round

Australian Open

Two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova bite the dust

Melbourne, Jan 20: World No.1 Novak Djokovic and Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer moved to the third round of the Australian Open here on Wednesday.

Djokovic beat French promising talent Quentin Halys 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3).

Halys, 19, had high hopes after defeating Croatia’s Ivan Dodig in the first round, which marks the Frenchman’s first ever victory in his professiol career.

However, Serbian Djokovic had full control of the match.

Halys, who is ranked 187th among the world’s tennis players, delivered a good performance, indicating a bright future for him.

Djokovic will now play Italian Andreas Seppi, who elimited American player Denis Kudla 7-5, 6-4, 6-4.

Federer will play in the third round for the 17th straight occasion after brushing aside tricky second round opponent Alexandr Dolgopolov.

The evergreen 34-year-old didn’t give Dolgopolov - who broke onto the world scene with a run to the Australian Open quarter-fils in 2011 - a look in, denying the Ukrainian a single break point opportunity in the 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 win.

“It’s the least I expect, to be in the third round of a Slam, obviously,” Federer said after winning.

“So I’m pumped up, I’m playing well, I’m feeling good.”

Federer said he wasn’t about to get ahead of himself, after the all-time great fell to Italian Andreas Seppi at the third-round hurdle of last year’s Australian Open.

“There’s always a danger - last year (the third round) was the end for me. So I hope to go further,” Federer said.

The World No.3 was on and off Rod Laver Are in under two hours, wrapping up the day session on centre court.

Searching for his first Australian Open title in five years, Federer was untroubled by the Dolgopolov’s unorthodox tactics.

However, Federer said he had a lot of respect for the 27-year-old, and had earmarked the match as a potential minefield when the draw was released late last week.

“I’m a big fan of his game. He’s explosive, he’s got a great return - especially on the second serve - he’s got all the shots,” he said.

Apart from these marquee men, other seeded stars restored order on Wednesday after a mass exodus of eight protected players, including 14-time Grand Slam winner Rafael dal and women’s No.2 Simo Halep on Tuesday.

In the men’s draw, Japanese roadrunner Kei Nishikori slowly wore down American opponent - and close friend - Austin Krajicek, recording another straight sets win (6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3).

Men’s six-seed Tomas Berdych, meanwhile, continued to fly under the radar, making light work of Bosnian Mirza Basic 6-4, 6-0, 6-3.

In the womens section Defending champion Sere Williams, Maria Sharapova and Agnieszka Radwanska entered into the next round with easy victory over their opponents.

Defending champion Sere Williams was on song in her Australian Open tennis tourment’s second round clash, cruising past doubles specialist Hsieh Su-Wei, 6-1, 6-2 here on Wednesday.

The World No.1 took exactly 60 minutes to wrap up the contest and will next play unseeded Daria Kasatki, the 2014 junior French Open champion.

Hsieh had no answers to the American’s ruthless efficiency, saving all three break points faced and hitting ten more winners than errors (26 to 16).

“She’s definitely a tricky opponent,” Williams said after her win.

World No 5 Maria Sharapova continued her domiting performance at the Australian Open taking out unseeded Aliaksandra Sasnovich, 6-2, 6-1, here on Wednesday.

Sharapova lost a gruelling seventh game when serving from the opening set, but Sasnovich could not consolidate the break, and won just one more game in the match that lasted 71 minutes.

“It’s great to be back on this court after a great run last year,” said Sharapova after the match.

“I had an opponent that I had never played before today; that’s always tricky, but I’m happy that I got through,” the Russian added.

The former No.1 hit 22 winners and committed 24 errors, dropping just six points behind her first serve.

The match was played in vastly different conditions from her first round contest, when temperatures soared to an overwhelming degree.

“That’s what we have to expect in Melbourne, and that’s one of the toughest challenges of this tourment. The weather changes. Overall, I’m just happy that I could get the match in because I know many players are waiting for the rain to stop.” Next up for Sharapova is young American Lauren Davis, who reached the Australian Open third round for the second time.

 Meanwhile World No 4 Agnieszka Radwanska held off Cadian Eugenie Bouchard to enter the third round of the Australian Open after a 6-4, 6-2 win here on Wednesday.

The 37th ranked Bouchard came out harder, stepping inside the baseline time and time again and ripping her huge ground strokes into the corners to build a 4-2 lead.

But Polish Radwanska held her ground, clawing back to take the set 6-4 - she ripped a huge forehand winner on her fifth set point to seal the one set lead.

However Two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova lost 6-4 6-4 to 21-year-old Australian Daria Gavrilova. Kvitova made 35 unforced errors and was broken five times in the 89-minute contest on Margaret Court Are. (IANS)