Another day another victory for world No.1 Novak Djokovic, who edged closer to a third successive Australian Open title with an entertaining win over Czech Radek Stepanek.
The defending champion said the match was the toughest of his three rounds so far at Melbourne Park but he still managed to rout the veteran in straight sets 6-4 6-3 7-5.
The match at times looked like an exhibition as Stepanek entertained fans.
He mixed up the play with his old-school serve-volley tactics but Djokovic always came up with the big points when needed.
The 34-year-old had a break point in the seventh game, which was he was unable to convert, and then didn’t get another until the eighth game of the third set, which Djokovic swatted away with an ace.
Stepanek advanced to the net 67 times which promoted Djokovic to quip that it was more times than he did in a year.
“It was a very entertaining match,” the top seed said.
“He’s very skillful, comes to the net, never gives you the same ball twice.
“That’s something that makes him a different player from most of the guys.
“It wasn’t an easy match.”
Fellow Serb, eighth seed Janko Tipsarevic, who ousted Lleyton Hewitt in round one, certainly didn’t have an easy time against Frenchman Julien Benneteau.
He had to battle his way back from two sets to one down for a 3-6 6-4 2-6 6-4 6-3 victory on his fifth match point.
“It’s good for the crowd to watch me play but it’s really no good for my legs,” Tipsarevic said after what was his second successive five-set match.
“I just hope the coach is preparing me an ice bath.
“Tomorrow I’m going to have an easy hit and a rest … I really feel I’ve played enough tennis.”
Tipsarevic will next meet Spanish 10th seed Nicolas Almagro.
Almagro beat Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 while South African Kevin Anderson upset 22nd seed Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 4-6 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-2.
Japan’s Kei Nishikori, a quarter-finalist in Melbourne in 2012, overcame Russia’s Evgeny Donskoy 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 6-3.