Djokovic progresses to third round of Australian Open

Melbourne: Serbian tennis star and world number one, Novak Djokovic on Wednesday progressed to the third round of the ongoing Australian Open.  

Djokovic outclassed America's Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-7, 7-6(2), 6-3 to win the second-round match at the Rod Laver Arena. The world number one got off to a good start and went on to take an early 4-1 lead in the first set, but Tiafoe made a comeback of sorts and brought the scoreline to 4-3. However, the Serbian maintained his composure and took the first set 6-3.

The second set was a close affair and both Djokovic and Tiafoe went back and forth to bring the scoreline to 5-5. Tiafoe then managed to pile on the pressure and won 7-6.

Tiafoe also gave Djokovic a tough fight in the third set which also went down to the tie-breaker, but Djokovic managed to win it in the end. The Serbian was now just one set away from progressing to the third round.

Djokovic went for the kill in the final set and his efforts were rewarded as he ended up winning the match.

Earlier in the day, Stan Wawrinka bowed out of the Australian Open in the second round as he lost a five-set marathon against Marton Fucsovics.

Fucsovics pulled off a second-round stunner as he saved three match points before sending 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka out 7-5, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 7-6(11). Fucsovics claimed the first two sets before Wawrinka came from behind and won the next two sets.

With his two-set lead erased, Fucsovics approached the fifth set swinging freely and once again met Wawrinka blow for blow. The set went the tie-breaker and it was Fucsovics, who emerged victorious.

Dominic Thiem also progressed to the third round of the Australian Open with an easy win over Germany's Dominik Koepfer in the second-round. The Austrian outclassed his opponent in three straight sets 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 in one hour and 39 minutes.

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka sailed into the third round of the ongoing Australian Open after registering a comfortable win over France's Caroline Garcia on Wednesday.

The third-seeded Osaka set the tone in the first game by belting three aces, one on a second serve down the tee. Osaka defeated Garcia in two straight sets (6-2, 6-3) in the match that lasted for 61 minutes. Osaka had clinched her first-round match on Monday after defeating Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets 6-1, 6-2.

Earlier in the day, American tennis star Serena Williams stormed into the third round of the tournament as she emerged triumphant in her second-round fixture.

Williams outclassed Serbia's Nina Stojanovic 6-3, 6-0 in the second round and she wrapped up an easy straight-sets victory.

The 39-year-old showed no tentativeness and she was on her game from the very start, not letting her opponent get an upper hand.