Australian Open men’s roundup: Federer advances to third round, Wawrinka crashes out

Swiss defending champion Roger Federer reached the third round for the 19th straight Australian Open on Thursday.

The second seed defeated German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) and will play Frenchman Richard Gasquet next.

Wawrinka stumbles

Swiss former winner Stan Wawrinka was knocked out of the Australian Open by American Tennys Sandgren.

The 97th-ranked Sandgren defeated ninth seeded Wawrinka 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 and will next play Germany’s Maximilian Marterer.

Djokovic survives Monfils test

Novak Djokovic prevailed over Gael Monfils in four sets with the temperature at Melbourne Park crossing 40 degrees.

Djokovic bettered his head to head against Monfils to 15-0 after beating the Frenchman 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.

The 14th seeded Serb will next play Spanish 21st seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

Thiem comes back from two sets down to beat Kudla

Austria’s fifth seed Dominic Thiem fought back from two sets down to overcome American qualifier Denis Kudla and fierce heat to reach the third round at the Australian Open on Thursday.

Thiem looked headed out the door before he turned around the match in the third set and went on to complete a 6-7 (6/8), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 victory in 3hr 48min on Margaret Court Arena.

In searing on court temperatures, Thiem wore down the 190th-ranked Kudla to set up a third round match against Czech Jiri Vesely or French 26th seed Adrian Mannarino.

Del Potro digs deep to best Khachanov

Juan Martin del Potro advanced to the third round after a hard-fought win against Karen Khachanov.

It was only the second competitive meeting between the two, with del Potro having previously beaten the 21-year-old Russian.

Del Potro, who’s playing in Melbourne for the first time since, 2014, beat Khachanov 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-7(0), 6-4.

Querrey goes down to Fucsovics

American Sam Querrey, the 13th seed, had a surprise exit to world No 80 Marton Fucsovics, going down 4-6, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 2-6 to the Hungarian.

Goffin bows out in a four-setter

Belgian seventh seed David Goffin crashed out, losing to Frenchman Julien Benneteau in the second round.

Goffin won the opening set but was edged out in a tight tiebreaker for the second set which proved pivotal in the gruelling heat.

Benneteau prevailed 1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) in 2hr 54 min to claim his second win over Goffin in three encounters.

Men’s singles 2nd round results:

Albert Ramos (ESP x21) bt Tim Smyczek (USA) 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7/2)

Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Sam Querrey (USA x13) 6-4, 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 6-2

Nicolas Kicker (ARG) bt Lukas Lacko (SVK) 6-2, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5

Dominic Thiem (AUT x5) bt Denis Kudla (USA) 6-7 (6/8), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3

Tomas Berdych (CZE x19) bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3

Fabio Fognini (ITA x25) bt Evgeny Donskoy (RUS) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1

Adrian Mannarino (FRA x26) bt Jiri Vesely (CZE) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-3

Novak Djokovic (SRB x14) bt Gael Monfils (FRA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3

Chung Hye-On (KOR) bt Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 7-6 (7/4), 6-1, 6-1

Julien Benneteau (FRA) bt David Goffin (BEL x7) 1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1, 7-6 (7/4)

Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG x12) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (0/7), 6-4

Alexander Zverev (GER x4) bt Peter Gojowczyk (GER) 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3

Richard Gasquet (FRA x29) bt Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) 6-2, 6-2, 6-3

(with inputs from AFP)