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Switzerland's Roger Federer in action during the match against Serbia's Filip Krajinovic. (Reuters Photo)
MELBOURNE, JANUARY 22 (REUTERS): Third seed Roger Federer hit winners at will in an imperious display as he cantered into the third round of the Australian Open with a 6-1 6-4 6-1 thumping of Serb Filip Krajinovic on Wednesday.
Starting his second-round match at around 2100 local time on Rod Laver Arena, the six-time champion appeared to be in a hurry to finish the contest, breaking his opponent's serve twice in the first two sets and thrice in the third.
Krajinovic took a medical timeout to have his right upper arm attended with Federer leading 2-1 in the third set but it made no difference to the momentum for the 20-times Grand Slam champion, who hit his 42nd winner to end the contest in a little over 90 minutes.
Next up for Federer, who was broken only once in the match, will be a meeting against local hope John Millman.
Serena overcomes Zidanesk
Serena Williams overcame an erratic performance at the Australian Open on Wednesday to beat Slovenian Tamara Zidansek 6-2 6-3 and advance to the third round.
The 38-year-old American, who is bidding for a record 24th Grand Slam singles title, was hardly troubled in the first set as she broke Zidansek twice to wrap up the opener in just over half an hour.
But the 70th-ranked Zidansek put up an impressive defence in the second set, saving seven break points as an increasingly frustrated Williams racked up more than a dozen unforced errors.
Zidansek, however, could not keep up the resistance and Williams clinched the victory with a cross-court forehand winner to set up a meeting with China's Wang Qiang.
Djokovic banishes wildcard ghosts
Defending champion Novak Djokovic meanwhile banished the ghosts of wildcards past by despatching Japan's Tatsuma Ito 6-1 6-4 6-2 to sail into the third round.
The world number two was famously knocked out of the second round at Melbourne Park by Uzbek wildcard Denis Istomin three years ago in the upset of the tournament.
He had no such problem against Ito, who earned his place in the draw with victory in the Asia-Pacific wildcard playoff.
Having struggled through a four-set grind against unseeded German Jan-Lennard Struff in his opener, Djokovic was back to his imperious best as he fired down 16 aces and racked up 31 winners in a 95-minute romp at a gusty Rod Laver Arena.
"I came into the match and played extremely well at the beginning," Djokovic told reporters, having stormed to a 5-0 first set lead in 15 minutes.
"I'm just overall pleased with the performance.
"It's only the second round. I do have to keep going. I feel comfortable and confident playing in Australia. History of my results here have been very positive."
Ito, a 31-year-old journeyman ranked 146th in the world, gave Djokovic a decent work-out in the second set but the Serb broke the match open with an inspired passage of play.
He scrambled to retrieve a drop-shot and flicked a cross-court forehand winner at full-stretch to bring up set point then converted it with an ace.
Ito promptly crumbled to trail 4-1 in the third and Djokovic, chasing a record-extending eighth title at Melbourne Park, marched to victory with a barrage of thumping serves.
He will meet another Japanese player in Yoshihito Nishioka, who knocked out British 30th seed Dan Evans in straight sets, for a place in the fourth round.
“I’m playing all the Japanese players in the field,” Djokovic laughed on court.
"He (Nishioka) is very quick, probably one of the quickest on tour."
Djokovic thrashed Nishioka 6-1 6-2 in the Davis Cup Finals in Spain in November.
"I know what his strengths and weaknesses are and hopefully I’m able to execute the game plan," added the Serb.
