Top seed Andy Murray defeated the 19 year-old Russian, Andrey Rublev in the second round of the Australian Open at the Rod Laver Arena.
The five-time Australian Open finalist started the game positively and sealed the first set 6-2 in just over half an hour. He made a light work of the world number 152 in the second set, breezing past him 6-0 to go two sets up. Though a nasty fall in the beginning of the third round made him look uncomfortable at the court but he still was able to close the match in straight sets,6-3,6-0,6-2. He next faces American Sam Querrey in the third round.
Amongst other high seeded players, the seventh seed Croat, Marin Cilic bowed out of the competition, losing to the unseeded British, Daniel Evans in four sets. The other big casualty of the day was the local hero Nick Kyrgios, who blew a two-set advantage to lose to Andreas Seppi. He again displayed his temperamental character when he smashed a racket after losing a point in the third set.
Fourth-seed Stan Wawrinka and fifth-seed Kei Nishikori, both advanced to the third round with easy wins over their opponents. Tenth-seed Tomas Berdych also advanced to set up a clash against the four-time Australian Open champion Roger Federer.
Meanwhile, the defending champion Kerber had to toil hard to advance to the next round.
In the women’s singles, top seed Angelique Kerber celebrated her 29th birthday by winning her second-round match. She defeated her fellow countrywomen Carina Witthoeft 6-2,6-7(3-7),6-2, although she had to sweat it out to advance to the next round. She will face the Czech, Kristyna Pliskova in the third round of the tournament.
Spaniard Carla Suarez-Navarro, seeded tenth, failed to cross the second-round barrier. She lost to the Romanian Sorana Cirstea in straight sets, 6-7(1-7),3-6. The other Spaniard in the fray, Garbine Muguruza advanced to the third-round with an easy win over unseeded Marina Erakovic.
In Women’s singles, Serena Williams, Karolina Pliskova, Dominika Cibulkova, Agnieszka Radwanska will all be on action in their second-round matches on Thursday.
In Men’s singles, the defending champion Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Milos Raonic and Gael Monfils will be in action in their respective second-round matches on Thursday.
