Federer through, but Wawrinka sent packing
Roger Federer remains on course to successfully defend his Australian Open title, but former champion Stan Wawrinka was knocked out in the second round.
Federer, a 19-time Grand Slam winner, wasn’t at his best, but he still claimed a comfortable 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) victory over Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff in one hour 55 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
The 36-year-old secured a single break of serve in the opening two sets, but the world No 55 put up a better fight in the third as he broke the defending champion in the fourth game only for the Swiss player hit back immediately.
It went to the tie-breaker and Federer saw it out despite losing his serve twice.
That’s win No. 8??9?? at Melbourne Park for @RogerFederer!#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/KFFPyA6WuY
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2018
Federer will face Richard Gasquet from France next.
“I love playing against one-handed guys because we need to keep it alive for as long as possible!”
[2] @RogerFederer on his 3R clash with [29] @richardgasquet1.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/jJw6QAtpGj
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2018
The 32-year-old Wawrinka came into the tournament under an injury cloud as he was still struggling from the knee injury that kept him out of the latter stages of the 2017 season.
After claiming a three-set win over Ricardas Berankis in the first round, the 2014 champion and ninth seed went down in straight sets against Tennys Sandgren.
The American world No 97 broke his more illustrious opponent with ease in all three sets to claim a 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 victory.
Stan Wawrinka is out of the Australian Open.
Tennys Sandgren wins 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 over a clearly unfit Wawrinka.
Still a wonderful performance from the American. pic.twitter.com/9Ja8kUaDeH
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) January 18, 2018
Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev beat fellow German Peter Gojowczyk 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 and will face Chung Hye-On next after the South Korean beat Russian Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (7-4), 6-1, 6-1.
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