MELBOURNE - Former French Open champion Gaston Gaudio eased into the third round of the Australian Open today with an efficient 6-3 6-2 6-3 defeat of German Lars Burgsmuller.
The Argentine has never made it past the third round of the season-opening grand slam but had little trouble against Burgsmuller, closing out the match in just under two hours on an outside court at Melbourne Park.
Gaudio profited from an erratic performance by Burgsmuller, who was unable to match the eight seed's court coverage and reliable first service.
Claycourt specialist Gaudio, the 2004 champion at Roland Garros, is on course for a quarterfinal match against compatriot David Nalbandian, who is seeded fourth after reaching the quarterfinals in Melbourne for the past three years.
Top seed in the women's draw Lindsay Davenport has also gone through.
The American fought off an opening set challenge from Croatian Karolina Sprem to win 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.
It was the fourth meeting between the pair and the fourth win for Davenport, winner of the Australian crown in 2000.
Meanwhile, women's No 23 seed Jelena Jancovic from Serbia and Montenegro was bundled out, beaten by unseeded Ukrainian Olga Savchuk.
- REUTERS, AAP
Tennis: Gaudio, Davenport through
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