Melbourne: There were no distractions for Andy Murray as he ruthlessly demolished big-serving Sam Groth 6-0 6-4 6-1 as the top seeds sailed through on a day of bright sunshine.
The 2014 champion and fourth seed Stanislas Wawrinka swatted away Czech veteran Radek Stepanek in the twilight, while women’s third seed Garbine Muguruza and two-times champion Victoria Azarenka also charged into the third round.
Rafa Nadal’s first-round exit to Fernando Verdasco punched a hole in the bottom half of the draw, but four-times finalist Murray was not about to join the fallen Spaniard.
He disarmed Groth, the world’s fastest recorded server, with a clinical returning game, showing his guile by lobbing the 6-ft-4in (1.93m) Australian repeatedly when he lumbered forward in desperation.
Murray has trounced both his first round opponents and Portuguese 32nd seed Joao Sousa is next in the firing line.
Since her back-to-back titles at Melbourne Park in 2012-13, two injury-blighted years have kept Azarenka from claiming a third but the powerful Belarusian is looking dangerous.
The former world number one, seeded 14th here, hammered Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic 6-1 6-2 at Margaret Court Arena to set up a match with Naomi Osaka and offered some chilling words for the Japanese qualifier.
“I’m feeling in the best shape body-wise, you know, spirit-wise, everything-wise,” Azarenka told reporters .
She remains on course for a mouth-watering fourth-round clash with Spanish Wimbledon runner-up Muguruza, who crushed Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 6-4 6-2.
Wawrinka eased past 37-year-old qualifier Stepanek 6-2 6-3 6-4 in the Hisense Arena and the Swiss next faces another Czech in Lukas Rosol.
Thirteenth seed Milos Raonic continued to shape as a dark horse, beating Tommy Robredo 7-6(5) 7-6(5) 7-5.
Underlining the fickle nature of grand slams, Nadal’s first-round slayer and compatriot Fernando Verdasco exited after a hard-fought four-set loss to pint-sized Israeli Dudi Sela.
The on-court drama spilled into the stands early in the day at Rod Laver Arena, where a spectator was injured in a tumble down the stairs during former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic’s 6-3 6-3 win over Anastasija Sevastova.
She faces big-hitting American youngster Madison Keys next in a meaty third-round clash.
Teenager Osaka gave a bow to thrilled Japanese fans after dumping 18th seed Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-4, continuing her impressive main draw debut at a grand slam .
Born to a Haitian father and raised in the U.S, Osaka remains a curiosity in her mother’s country but a show-court appearance against Azarenka could change all that.
“I always think that they’re surprised that I’m Japanese,” the frizzy-haired 18-year-old shrugged with an American accent.
Collated results from the Australian Open Grand Slam at Melbourne Park on Thursday:
Men’s singles
2nd rd
Bernard Tomic (AUS) bt Simone Bolelli (ITA) 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5
Dudi Sela (ISR) bt Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4)
Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) bt Jeremy Chardy (FRA x30) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5)
Gael Monfils (FRA x23) bt Nicolas Mahut (FRA) 7-5, 6-4, 6-1
Stephane Robert (FRA) bt Rajeev Ram (USA) 6-1, 6-7 (6/8), 4-6, 7-5, 7-5
Milos Raonic (CAN x13) bt Tommy Robredo (ESP) 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5), 7-5
Viktor Troicki (SRB x21) bt Tim Smyczek (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4)
Lukas Rosol (CZE) bt Jack Sock (USA x25) 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5), 6-3
Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI x4) bt Radek Stepanek (CZE) 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
David Ferrer (ESP x8) bt Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 6-2, 6-4, 6-4
Steve Johnson (USA x31) bt Thomaz Belluci (BRA) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
Feliciano Lopez (ESP x18) bt Guido Pella (ARG) 7-6 (7/2), 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (8/10), 6-4
John Isner (USA x10) bt Marcel Granollers (ESP) 6-3, 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/2)
John Millman (AUS) bt Gilles Muller (LUX) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
Joao Sousa (POR x32) bt Santiago Giraldo (COL) 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1
Andy Murray (GBR x2) bt Sam Groth (AUS) 6-0, 6-4, 6-1
Women’s singles
2nd rd
Angelique Kerber (GER x7) bt Alexandra Dulgheru (ROM) 6-2, 6-4
Madison Brengle (USA) bt Johanna Larsson (SWE) 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
Laura Siegemund (GER) bt Jelena Jankovic (SRB x19) 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4
Annika Beck (GER) bt Timea Bacsinszky (SUI x11) 6-2, 6-3
Victoria Azarenka (BLR x14) bt Danka Kovinic (MNE) 6-1, 6-2
Naomi Osaka (JPN) bt Elina Svitolina (UKR x18) 6-4, 6-4
Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) bt Vania King (USA) 7-6 (7/5), 6-4
Garbine Muguruza (ESP x3) bt Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 6-4, 6-2
Johanna Konta (GBR) bt Zheng Saisai (CHN) 6-2, 6-3
Denisa Allertova (CZE) bt Sabine Lisicki (GER x30) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS x21) bt Tatjana Malek (GER) 6-4, 6-2
Madison Keys (USA x15) bt Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3
Ana Ivanovic (SRB x20) bt Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 6-3, 6-3
Varvara Lepchenko (USA) bt Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) 7-6 (9/7), 6-4
Zhang Shuai (CHN) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-3, 6-3
Karolina Pliskova (CZE x9) bt Julia Goerges (GER) 7-6 (7/5), 6-1
afp
AFP
