Tennis: Michael Venus beats Marcus Daniell in Australian Open battle of the Kiwis

Michael Venus and Raven Klaasen. Photo / Getty

Michael Venus has won the battle of the Kiwis at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Venus and his South African partner Raven Klaasen are through to the third round of the doubles after a 7-6 (4) 6-3 win over fellow Kiwi Marcus Daniell and his Dutch partner Wesley Koolhof.

There was very little in the first set, although Venus and Klaasen managed to conjure up two break points against Koolhof's serve, but they couldn't convert and the set went to a tie break.

Venus and Klaasen quickly took control and when Daniell missed a makeable smash, the sixth seeds had a double mini-break to extend it to 4-1.

Venus then won his next two service points to bring up five set points. Koolhof won his next two service points and Klaasen double faulted before Venus put away a volley to win the first set in 52 minutes.

Games went with serve until the fourth game of the second set when Koolhof found himself 15-40 down. He saved the first break point with a good first serve but on the second, Klaasen's return had Daniell reaching for a backhand volley which he sent long.

It proved decisive as Venus and Klaasen, who never faced a break point against their serve in the match, closed out the set 6-3 and secured their place in the third round.

Meanwhile, young Kiwi Valentina Ivanov will play her first round match in the Junior Girls singles tomorrow. The 17-year-old winner of the New Zealand Championships faces Thai fifth seed Mananchaya Sawangkaew who is ranked 18th in the junior world rankings.