Venus drops to 0-2 in 2016 after losing opener

Defending champion Serena Williams ramped up her bid for a 22nd grand slam title with a dominant 6-1 6-2 win over unseeded Taiwanese Hsieh Su-wei to charge into the Australian Open third round on Wednesday.

Federer, playing his 65th major, advanced 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 over Alexandr Dolgopolov.

Sharapova dropped two service games in the first set, including once when serving at 5-1, but was otherwise consistent except for some over-hit ground strokes.

The Belarusian continued her gutsy effort, taking another set off the Russian in a long deuce which went to its third break point opportunity before Sasnovich finally claimed it.

Ana Ivanovic has advanced to the third round at Melbourne Park following a 6-3, 6-3 win over qualifier Anastasija Sevastova in a match that was suspended when a spectator fell on the stairs at Rod Laver Arena. I think my serve is something that I take out from today’s match as the best part of my game.

Tuesday’s sequel on Rod Laver Arena mirrored their clash on the same court seven years ago when Nadal prevailed in five hours 14 minutes, the longest Australian Open match at the time, before going on to beat Roger Federer in the final. Though Venus put up a mini come-back, that wasn’t enough with Konta wrapping the match 6-2 in the Second Set.

But the 28-year-old was in fine fettle after hours on the practice courts as she handed a tennis lesson to Hibino, who was making her Grand Slam debut.

Novak Djokovic hailed the ideal start to his Australian Open campaign after dispatching South Korea’s Hyeon Chung in straight sets, with the Serbian particularly pleased with the way he served.

“I’m like, “I didn’t play again after that?’ Even last night they told me at the hotel (about the 2009 match) and I’m like ‘I play against him tomorrow”.

“I think it’s time and experience, getting a little older, hopefully a little wiser”, she said on being able to better challenge top-ranked players.

Garbine Muguruza (US Open, August 2015): Konta made it successive wins against Muguruza with victory over the Spaniard during her fairytale run to the last 16 of the US Open.

“It’s always great support from Michael”.

Federer had been suffering with illness in the build-up to the tournament but the 17-time grand slam champion showed few signs of weakness in a swift 6-2 6-1 6-2 victory. “What really works for me is to stay in the moment”.

But the world number 36 – the highest ranked non-seed – quickly settled down to hold serve with a scintillating crosscourt forehand.