In a hurry

MELBOURNE, January 16 

Rafa Nadal picked apart second-round opponent Matthew Ebden 6-3 6-2 6-2 at the Australian Open on Wednesday, in a near flawless display of top-spinning artistry. The second seed overcame an early first-set challenge from the Australian, who should have secured a break-of-serve with the scores locked at 3-3.

Ebden missed a backhand volley off an unexceptional passing shot — and it proved costly. The Australian was broken the next game, succumbing with a double-fault, and the Spaniard went through the broken line of defence, securing the set and an early break in the second.

“I started a little bit slow... then I saved that game at three-all,” Nadal said. “After that, things changed. I think I played well.” 

Sensing an early end to the proceedings, the crowd tried to lift one of its few remaining local hopes, while at the same time being dazzled by the Spaniard’s control of the court. The 17-time Grand Slam winner was never seriously challenged again, and the third set became an exhibition match.

Former Australian Open winner Maria Sharapova continued her marauding form by handing out a 6-2 6-1 thrashing to Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson to set up a blockbuster third-round showdown with holder Caroline Wozniacki.

In a clash of former world No. 1 players, the five-time Grand Slam winner will next meet Dane Wozniacki.

“It’s always a physical match,” Sharapova told reporters of her third-seeded opponent looming in the next round, with Wozniakci having won her first Grand Slam here last year.

“She gets a lot of balls back. A great retriever of the game. Just incredibly solid. Does a lot of things well. You kind of have to, to be number one in the world, to be a Grand Slam champion. I expect her to do all those things on Friday. I think the Grand Slam was the one trophy she was looking for. With determination she got there last year,” she added. — Reuters

Main results (Rd 2) 

Women: 8-Petra Kvitova (CZE) bt Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) 6-1 6-3; 30-Maria Sharapova (RUS) bt Rebecca Peterson (SWE) 6-2 6-1; 3-Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) bt Johanna Larsson (SWE) 6-1 6-3; 5-Sloane Stephens (USA) bt Timea Babos (HUN) 6-3 6-1; 19-Caroline Garcia (FRA) bt Zoe Hives (AUS) 6-3 6-3; 2-Angelique Kerber (GER) bt Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) 6-2 6-3

Men: 6-Marin Cilic (CRO) bt Mackenzie McDonald (USA) 7-5 6-7(9) 6-4 6-4; Taylor Fritz (USA) bt 30-Gael Monfils (FRA) 6-3 6-7(8) 7-6(6) 7-6(5); 3-Roger Federer (SUI) bt Daniel Evans (GBR) 7-6(5) 7-6(3) 6-3; Frances Tiafoe (USA) bt 5-Kevin Anderson (RSA) 4-6 6-4 6-4 7-5; Tomas Berdych (CZE) bt Robin Haase (NED) 6-1 6-3 6-3; 2-Rafa Nadal (ESP) bt Matthew Ebden (AUS) 6-3 6-2 6-2

Day 4’s top matches

WOMEN: Viktoria Kuzmova vs 6-Elina Svitolina; 1-Simona Halep vs Sofia Kenin; Eugenie Bouchard vs 16-Serena Williams; Alize Cornet vs Venus Williams; Johanna Konta vs 18-Garbine Muguruza 

MEN: Stan Wawrinka vs 16-Milos Raonic; 1-Novak Djokovic vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga; 4-Alexander Zverev vs Jeremy Chardy