• BNP Paribas Open

Djokovic thrashes Gulbis, Federer cruises through

Novak Djokovic needed just 54 minutes to dismiss Ernests Gulbis © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Sony Ericsson Open seedings
  
• News: BNP Paribas Open seedings
  
• Profile: Tomas Berdych | Novak Djokovic | Roger Federer

BNP Paribas Open seedings

Novak Djokovic extended his unbeaten start to 2011 by steamrollering Ernests Gulbis in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.

The Australian Open champion took a mere 54 minutes to record a comprehensive 6-0 6-1 triumph against Gulbis, who has still not claimed back-to-back wins since January.

The opening set was not as straightforward for Djokovic as the scoreline suggests - he had to save five break points - but he was ruthless when presented with opportunities, clinching three chances to claim a game against serve.

Gulbis made little impression during the second frame, winning five points against the Djokovic delivery, although he did at least manage to get himself on the scoreboard. It is the Serb who thunders on, however, and he will face Victor Troicki next.

Elsewhere, Roger Federer avoided a repeat of his stumble last year, when he exited in the third round, by successfully negotiating his passage through. Three-time winner Federer defeated Juan Ignacio Chela 6-0 6-2 after answering the challenge thrown down by Djokovic's rapid progress.

Chela, who has now not won a set against Federer for seven years, surrendered five breaks as he lasted less than an hour on court.

After a patchy start to the year, Tomas Berdych looks to be finding form - he dismissed Thomaz Bellucci 6-3 6-2, sealing 25 of 28 points on his first serve and helping himself to three breaks.

Andy Roddick won the all-American hit-out against fellow big-server John Isner 7-5 6-2. The patriotic crowd was sad to lose either competitor but Roddick was a worthy winner based on his superior all-round game.

Roddick returned cleverly against Isner, sitting very deep to expose his countryman's lack of mobility with some accurate returns. After gaining his first break to go up 6-5 in the first, he served out the set and carried on that momentum to romp home in the second.

With seeds in action everywhere else on Tuesday, a match between two young wildcards looked to be of little interest but Ryan Harrison's 7-6 4-6 6-4 victory over Milos Raonic was the pick of the day for pure entertainment. The high quality match featured 28 aces and just one double fault and Harrison's overall point advantage of 103-100 showed just how close it was, but the 18-year-old from Louisiana pipped the new world No. 37 to the post.

Richard Gasquet ousted tenth seed Jurgen Melzer in quick fashion, winning 6-1 6-3 in a surprisingly one-sided affair. There were also third round wins for Victor Troicki and Stanislas Wawrinka, who won in straight sets against Michael Llodra and Marin Cilic respectively.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.