DIMITROV PASSES TEST

Bulgaria’s 20th seed Grigor Dimitrov switched gears after losing the second-set tiebreak to beat Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas 6-3 6-7(5) 6-3 7-5 in the second round.

SAILING THROUGH

Angelique Kerber beat Brazilian qualifier Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-2 6-3 in 81 minutes to advance to the third round. The Wimbledon champion was helped along the way by Haddad Maia’s 39 unforced errors. The second seed next meets Australian wildcard Kimberly Birrell.

CHAMPION MODE

Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki, the third seed, beat Sweden’s Johanna Larsson 6-1 6-3 to ease into the third round. The Dane controlled play from the baseline and won 70 percent of her first serves while making 14 fewer unforced errors than her opponent as she wrapped up the match in 66 minutes.

FIRST FOR BIRRELL

Australian wildcard Kimberly Birrell beat 29th seed Donna Vekic 6-4 4-6 6-1 in nearly two hours to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time.

FIGHTING YOUNG MCDONALD

Marin Cilic overcame a mid-match blip by losing the second set but recovered to defeat unseeded American Mackenzie McDonald 7-5 6-7(9) 6-4 6-4. 

HOME HOPES HIGH

Local favourite Ashleigh Barty continued her strong start to the tournament as she thumped China’s Wang Yafan 6-2 6-3 to move into the third round. The 15th seed, who warmed up for the season’s first Major by reaching the final of last week’s Sydney International, takes on Maria Sakkari in the third round after the Greek beat local qualifier Astra Sharma 6-1 6-4. Australian teenager Alex de Minaur beat qualifier Henri Laaksonen 6-4 6-2 6-7 (7) 4-6 6-3 to set up a clash with Rafa Nadal.

STEPHENS TAMES TIMEA

American fifth seed Sloane Stephens moved past Timea Babos 6-3 6-1 to set up a third-round clash with Croatia’s Petra Martic.

Eating McDonalds? No!  

Aliaksandra Sasnovich was in a jocular mood following her 6-3 6-3 victory over 20th seed Anett Kontaveit. “I will of course go eat McDonalds and eat some Nutella,” she said when asked how she would prepare for the next round where she meets Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who upset ninth seed Kiki Bertens 3-6 6-3 6-3. “No. I’m joking. I will of course go shopping.” 

BEATING HIVES

Women’s 19th seed Caroline Garcia ended the hopes of Australian Zoe Hives to become the first player into the third round with a 6-3 6-3 victory in just 65 minutes on the 1573 Arena. The 22-year-old Hives had provided something of a boost for local fans on Monday when she beat American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the first round, but was unable to hold off the Frenchwoman.

Tiafoe announces himself

Twenty-year-old Frances Tiafoe created a major upset beating fifth seed Kevin Anderson 4-6 6-4 6-4 7-5 in the second round. Wimbledon finalist Anderson took a medical time-out mid-way through the four-set match before becoming the highest ranked player to be ousted from the first Major of the year. His young American conqueror, ranked 39 in the world, saved two break points while closing out the match. “I knew he was going to make me play a tough game,” Tiafoe said. “He returns well. He returns hard.” After sealing match point against the South African, Tiafoe slapped his right bicep, thumped his chest and roared at the terraces.