Federer, Djokovic advance into third round
Defending champion Roger Federer cooly swept into the Australian Open third round along with the likes of Novak Djokovic and Dominic Thiem yesterday while fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka crashed out.
Federer disposed of Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(7/4) in his night match, when the mercury had cooled after rising to a high of 39 deg C in the day.
"I practise with him so I had the information I needed," said Federer, adding that the heat doesn't bother him.
"If you want to get to the top, you've got to play in all conditions."
It was never going to be easy for the German.
While Federer had made at least the third round each year since his Melbourne Park debut in 2000, Struff had failed to go further than the second round at any Grand Slam.
Federer will face Richard Gasquet tomorrow.
Six-time Melbourne champion Djokovic had a much tougher time, coming through a four-setter against Gael Monfils in a thorough examination after being out for six months with an elbow injury.
He lost the first set before Monfils struggled in the second and was heard at one point telling the umpire: "I'm tired and dizzy."
The Frenchman recovered to make a fight of it before a relieved Djokovic, seeded 14, came through 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.
Meanwhile, former Australian Open winner and ninth seed Stan Wawrinka crashed out after after losing 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 to 97th-ranked Tennys Sandgren.
Sandgren, 26, will next play Germany's Maximilian Marterer.
It has been tough year for Wawrinka, who was playing in his first tournament since Wimbledon six months ago following left knee surgery.
"Today was extremely tough to feel that way on the court, to lose that way, even if he was playing well," Wawrinka said.
"When you have won three Grand Slams, you don't feel great on the court like today. But I need to be still positive.
"I think the last 12 days was more than what I could have dreamt for coming here." - AFP
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