A rapid start was key to Rafa Nadal’s Australian Open victory over Damir Dzumhur on Friday with the Spaniard reaching the last-16 in straight sets (6-1, 6-3, 6-1).
The Bosnian was busy handing out tickets just before the game and perhaps lost his focus as Nadal took 20 of the opening 24 points to stretch out a 5-0 first set lead, which he converted in just 19 minutes.
As World No. 30, Dzumhur should have posed a greater danger to the veteran and he eventually broke Nadal’s serve in the second set to make it 2-2, before the favourite bounced back to close out the set with ease.
A protracted third set saw the Bosnian improve but struggle to hold much of a significant barrier to his rival’s progress, with Nadal reaching the next round in a professional manner that was testified by his double fault tally: zero.
🔰World No.3 Grigor Dimitrov held on for a fluctuating 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Russian Andrey Rublev on Rod Laver Arena.
🔰Italian Andreas Seppi edged out Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic in a titanic five-set battle of the veterans to claim a place in the round of 16 at the Australian Open on Friday.
Scores:
Men’s Singles:
Kyle Edmund (GBR) bt Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) 7-6 (7/0), 3-6, 4-6, 6-0, 7-5
Pablo Carreno-Busta (ESP x10) bt Gilles Muller (LUX x23) 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 7-5, 7-5
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x3) bt Andrey Rublev (RUS x30) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
Diego Schwartzman (ARG x24) bt Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) 6-7 (1/7), 6-2, 6-3, 6-3
Andreas Seppi (ITA) bt Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (3/7), 6-7 (5/7), 9-7
Women’s Singles:
Petra Martic (CRO) bt Luksika Kumkhum (THA) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
Denisa Allertova (CZE) bt Magda Linette (POL) 6-1, 6-4
Elise Mertens (BEL) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 7-5, 6-4
Elina Svitolina (UKR x4) bt Marta Kostyuk (UKR) 6-2, 6-2
Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK x19) bt Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) 7-5, 3-6, 6-1
Carla Suarez (ESP) bt Kaia Kanepi (EST) 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.
