Sublime Federer beats Kavcic

Melbourne - Roger Federer reeled off some of his best tennis to claim a commanding straight-sets win over Slovenia's Blaz Kavcic and reach the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday.

The Swiss 17-time Grand Slam champion was in irresistible form in the opening two sets before winning 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) in one hour 47 minutes on Hisense Arena.

Federer, playing away from the main Rod Laver Arena court for the first time in 10 years, faced Kavcic with the stadium roof closed because of the tournament's extreme heat policy.

He blazed away for 52 winners, six service breaks and 11 aces to control his match with the 99th-ranked Slovenian.

Kavcic could mostly only shake his head and marvel at the brilliance of the four-time Australian Open champion, although he came more into the match in the final set when he forced a tiebreaker.

But Federer played the pressure points the better to finish well on top in front of an adoring Australian crowd.

The Swiss legend will next play either Spanish 31st seed Fernando Verdasco or Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili.

Federer is looking to become only the man along with Australian Roy Emerson to win five Australian Opens.

Results from the Australian Open on Thursday:

Men's singles:

Second round:
Kei Nishikori (JPN x16) bt Dusan Lajovic (SRB) 6-1, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x10) bt Thomaz Belluci (BRA) 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, 6-4
Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) bt Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) 6-2, 6-4, 6-2
Donald Young (USA) bt Andreas Seppi (ITA x24) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
Roger Federer (SUI x6) bt Blaz Kavcic (SLO) 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4)
Stephane Robert (FRA) bt Michal Przysiezny (POL) 7-6 (7/3), 6-1,
6-7 (3/7), 6-1
Gael Monfils (FRA x25) bt Jack Sock (USA) 7-6 (7/2), 7-5, 6-2
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x22) bt Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE) 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (11/9)
Milos Raonic (CAN x11) bt Victor Hanescu (ROM) 7-6 (11/9), 6-4, 6-4
Martin Klizan (SVK) bt Blaz Rola (SLO) 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7/2)
Feliciano Lopez (ESP x26) bt Michael Berrer (GER) 6-4, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4
Andy Murray (GBR x4) bt Vincent Millot (FRA) 6-2, 6-2, 7-5
Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) bt Juan Martin del Potro (ARG x5) 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS) bt Fernando Verdasco (ESP x31) 7-6 (7/1), 3-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Gilles Simon (FRA x18) bt Marin Cilic (CRO) 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 6-2
Benoit Paire (FRA x27) bt Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2, 6-2

Women's singles:

Second round:
Zarina Diyas (KAZ) bt Marina Erakovic (NZL) 6-4, 6-0
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x29) bt Mandy Minella (LUX) 6-2, 6-2
Elina Svitolina (UKR) bt Olivia Rogowska (AUS) 6-4, 7-5
Simona Halep (ROU x11) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 4-6, 6-0, 6-1
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP x16) bt Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 8-6
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x20) bt Stefanie Voegele (SUI) 6-0, 6-1
Alize Cornet (FRA x25) bt Camila Giorgi (ITA) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Maria Sharapova (RUS x3) bt Karin Knapp (ITA) 6-3, 4-6, 10-8
Garbine Muguruza (ESP) bt Anna Schmiedlova (SVK) 6-3, 6-3
Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x5) bt Olga Govortsova (BLR) 6-0, 7-5
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x10) bt Christina McHale (USA) 6-0, 1-6, 6-2
Sloane Stephens (USA x13) bt Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO) 3-6, 6-2, 7-5
Victoria Azarenka (BLR x2) bt Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE)
6-1, 6-4
Kurumi Nara (JPN) bt Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK x32) 6-4, 6-3
Jelena Jankovic (SRB x8) bt Ayumi Morita (JPN) 6-2, 6-0
Yvonne Meusburger (AUT) bt Bojana Jovanovski (SRB x33) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2