Australian Open: Defending champion Azarenka reaches third round

Sharapova follows suit in sizzling Melbourne temperatures.

MELBOURNE: Title-holder Victoria Azarenka swept into round three of the Australian Open on Thursday with a straight-sets mauling of Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.

The two-time champion was rarely threatened on Rod Laver Arena to blast past the Czech 6-1, 6-4 in 88 minutes.

The Belarusian benefited from the roof being shut on centre court because of the searing heat.

“It feels pretty good, it was a good match and a competitive second set,” said Azarenka. “Barbora played well and I was just glad to close it out in two sets.”

Meanwhile, third seed Maria Sharapova and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki survived frights in their respective matches, but dug deep to grind their way into the third round.

Russian star Sharapova, the 2008 champion, came through a brutal three-set marathon against 44th-ranked Karin Knapp in intense heat.

She battled temperatures of up to 42 Celsius and a third set lasting nearly two hours to down the Italian 6-3, 4-6, 10-8 and set up a clash with France’s Alize Cornet, who broke down in tears of frustration during her game.

“I worked really hard in the last few months and I wanted this match,” said Sharapova after making extensive use of ice vests and ice packs to keep cool in the sizzling conditions.

Other players safely through included world number five Agnieszka Radwanska, Spain’s 16th seed Carla Suarez Navarro, Romanian 11th seed Simona Halep and 20th seed Dominika Cibulkova.

Nadal, Federer dominate under closed roof 

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer powered into the third round of the Australian Open with straight-sets victories in air-conditioned comfort after the stadium roofs were closed to counter the unbearable heat.

World number one Nadal, chasing his second Australian crown, overcame rising Australian teenager Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 under the closed roof on Rod Laver Arena.

Nadal won the match point not long after his great Grand Slam rival Federer wrapped up a 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) win over Slovenia’s Blaz Kavcic on Hisense Arena.

The Spanish top seed needed one hour and 53 minutes before extinguishing the 570th-ranked Australian in their first-ever meeting.

On the other hand, 17-time grand slam champion Federer blazed away for 52 winners, six service breaks and 11 aces to control the match with his Slovenian opponent.

In other encounters, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also breezed past Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, 6-4 and Japan’s Kei Nishikori mastered Dusan Lajovic to advance to the third round.

Aisam-Bopana enter second round

Pakistan’s Aisamul Haq Qureshi and his Indian partner Rohan Bopanna braved sweltering heat and a stiff challenge from Rameez Junaid and Adrian Mannarino to enter the second round of the Australian Open men’s doubles event.

The seventh seeded pair, aiming to win its first Grand Slam, edged past the unseeded opponents 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(7/5) in the first round that last lasted one hour and 45 minutes.

Earlier, the Indo-Pak Express lost in the quarter-finals of their first tournament, the Qatar Open, at the start of this season as they reunited after two years. Thereafter, they failed to clinch the Sydney International title after losing the finale.

Unbearable heat forces courts’ shut down

Extreme heat forced organisers to suspend play for several hours at the Australian Open Thursday, following days of complaints about ‘inhumane’ conditions which left some players fainting and vomiting.

With temperatures hitting 42 Celsius, officials finally called a halt in a rare move, hauling players off courts and closing the roofs on the two main arenas.

Some competitors have been furious about playing in this week’s oven-like heat after several fell ill during their matches.

America’s Varvara Lepchenko was the latest victim on Thursday when she had her pulse and blood-pressure checked and was rubbed down with ice by staff during a medical time-out.

“Some of the girls can’t even talk after the match or practice,” said Polish fifth seed Radwanska.

Sharapova was unlucky when the halt was announced during her third set against Knapp, meaning she could not come off until it was over. The third set went to 10-8, lasting nearly two hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2014.

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