17 Jan 2013

Djokovic, Ferrer and Berdych advance at Australian Open

12:26 pm on 17 January 2013

Novak Djokovic's campaign for a hat-trick of Australian Open tennis titles shifted up a gear as he demolished American Ryan Harrison 6-1 6-2 6-3 to charge into the third round.

Meanwhile two of Djokovic's threats have advanced.

The fourth-seed Spaniard David Ferrer held off American Tim Smyczek for a 6-0 7-5 4-6 6-3 win.

Czech Tomas Berdych, the fifth seed, dropped his serve once in the third set but otherwise was untroubled as he took care of Frenchman Guillaume Rufin 6-2 6-2 6-4 in less than two hours.

Today Andy Murray will take on Joao Sousa, a 100th-ranked Portuguese he has never played before, while the Swiss maestro Roger Federer will take on Russian former world number three Nikolay Davydenko in the second round this evening.