Consistent Czech Tomas Berdych has powered his way past perennial grand slam victim Michael Russell in the opening round of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.

The 196cm fifth seed, a quarter-finalist in each of the past two years, proved too strong for the 173cm American 34-year-old, winning 6-3 7-5 6-3 on Monday.

Russell, who turned pro in 1998 but has never been ranked higher than No.60 in the world, has made it past the opening round of a major just five times in 27 attempts.

Only once has he progressed beyond the second round, when he reached the French Open last 16 back in 2001.

Berdych, 27, has spent the past three years inside the world top 10 but has only once reached a grand slam final, at Wimbledon in 2010, when he lost to Rafael Nadal.

He will meet Frenchman Guillaume Rufin in the second round.

Other seeds to progress on Monday included Japan’s Kei Nishikori, the 16th seed and a quarter-finalist last year.

Nishikori overcame a slow start to beat Romanian Victor Hanescu 6-7(5-7) 6-3 6-1 6-3.

Swiss No.2 Stanislas Wawrinka, the 15th seed, beat German qualifier Cedrik-Marcel Stebe 6-2 6-4 6-3.

Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, the 10th seed, had to endure a fierce fight from American qualifier Steve Johnson before prevailing 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-7(6-8) 6-2 on his fifth match point.