• Australian Open, Day Four

Roger Federer strolls on in Melbourne

Roger Federer turns on the style for the Australian crowd © Getty Images

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Roger Federer remains on course for his 16th career Grand Slam singles title after enjoying a serene straight sets victory over Victor Hanescu.

The world No.1 came into the second-round contest off the back of a four-set tussle with Igor Andreev, raising one or two question marks over his form in the year's first Grand Slam tournament. That court time only seemed to have brushed away any rustiness though as the Swiss triumphed 6-2 6-3 6-2 against Hanescu.

All the trademark shots were on show from Federer as he looked in the mood to thrill the Rod Laver Arena, swatting a particularly memorable squash shot across court on his way to the first set. More significantly, though, the trademark forehand began finding the lines with alarming regularity for any of Federer's onlooking rivals.

World No.47 Hanescu did make his illustrious opponent work to close out the match, taking Federer to 30-30 against the serve, but the top seed was aided by a fortunate net cord as he kept on track for a 22nd Grand Slam final. The Swiss now faces No.31 seed Albert Montanes, who beat Stephane Robert 4-6 6-7(3) 6-2 6-3 6-2, for a place in round four.

Earlier in the session, world No.3 Novak Djokovic overcame a first-set hiccup to beat Marco Chiudunelli 3-6 6-1 6-1 6-3 and book his place in the third round. The 2008 Australian Open winner started slowly in his first two matches but bounced back on this occasion to make his class show.

Djokovic will need to cut down a tally of 61 unforced errors if he is to emulate his only Grand Slam triumph, but he can at least take heart from the way he rallied for victory against Chiudunelli. The Serb fell a set down and faced a break point at the start of the second, but a backhand winner raised a fist pump from Djokovic as he turned the tables. Injuries began to hamper Chiudunelli as the match slipped away, allowing his foe to book a date with Denis Istomin, who overcame Michael Berrer 7-5 6-3 6-4.

"There are some things that I obviously have to improve in order to play better," Djokovic said afterwards. "But the opening rounds, especially at the Australian Open, are tricky and where a lot of surprises happen."

Local hope Lleyton Hewitt showed patience to see off young American qualifier Donald Young in straight sets. Young couldn't put a dent in Hewitt's ever-solid game and the 22nd seed eventually triumphed 7-6(3) 6-4 6-1.

Marcos Baghdatis outlasted David Ferrer in a battle of attrition in the Melbourne heat, fighting back from two sets down to win 4-6 3-6 7-6 6-3 6-1 despite the onset of painful cramps in the last game. Baghdatis and Hewitt will now meet in the third round, with memories of their epic five-setter from two years ago which ended at 4.30am still fresh in their memories.

Nikolay Davydenko continued to look the tournament's form man after blitzing his way past Ilya Marchenko in straight sets. Davydenko, who remains unbeaten in 2010, raced into round three with a 6-3 6-3 6-0 victory but maintained: "I never think I am favourite for any tournament. I know I can also lose not only to top 10 guys, but I can lose also to number 15 or 100, it depends how you feel."

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was impressive against Taylor Dent © Getty Images

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Tommy Haas was made to endure a far less comfortable passage into the next round, going all the way to five sets against Serbian Janko Tipsarevic. Haas, seeded 18th in the competition, always looked in control of the contest but he needed five match points to see off his opponent 4-6 6-4 6-3 1-6 6-3 in a final set that lasted just shy of an hour. The veteran crowd favourite will now see his stamina tested by 10th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who beat Taylor Dent 6-4 6-3 6-3.

Haas was not the only man forced to go the distance either, as fellow German Benjamin Becker succumbed in five sets to Nicolas Almagro of Spain. Becker appeared to have turned the tide after battling his way back from a two-set deficit to level the scores, but Almagro held his nerve in the decider to progress 6-4 6-2 3-6 4-6 6-3.

Juan Monaco did succeed where Becker failed though, completing a remarkable turnaround to overcome Michael Llodra 3-6 3-6 7-6(5) 6-1 6-3. Llodra had strolled through the first two sets but the pivotal moment proved to be third-set tie-breaker, snatched by Monaco, which visibly seemed to break the Frenchman's spirit. Davydenko is the 30th seed's reward in the next round.

Elsewhere, Russia's Mikhail Youzhny cruised past Jan Hajek 6-2 6-1 6-1 to set up a meeting with Lukasz Kubot, Colombia's Alejandro Falla enjoyed an equally comfortable passage against Marcel Granollers, and qualifier Stefan Koubek overcame Ivan Dodig of Croatia.

Dangerous left-hander Fernando Verdasco remains a threat though after making extremely light work of qualifier Ivan Sergeyev. The 9th seeded Spaniard eased to a 6-1 6-2 6-2 victory to line up another qualifier, Koubek, in round three.

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