Tennis: Imperious Federer Eases Past Bjorkman and Into Third Round

Roger Federer looked back to his composed best as he booked his place in the third round of the Australian Open with a second consecutive straight-sets victory.

Federer, who had appeared out-of-sorts at times during his first-round win over Bjorn Phau, was far more comfortable this morning as he cruised past Swedish veteran Jonas Bjorkman 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 at the Rod Laver Arena.

Similarly, sixth seed Andy Roddick, who needed four sets - including one decided by a record-equalling 38-game tie-break - to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the first round, powered into round three with a straight-sets victory over Marc Gicquel.

Dominating Gicquel with his powerful first serve, Roddick set up a meeting with either former champion Marat Safin or Dudi Sela with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 triumph at Melbourne Park.

Fourteenth seed Novak Djokovic also reached round three with a comfortable 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 victory over Feliciano Lopez. Nineteen-year-old world No15 Djokovic, who won the Adelaide International warm-up event earlier this month, can now look forward to a meeting with Thailand's Danai Udomchoke, who surprised 24th seed Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-6 (7-0), 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.

Sixteenth seed David Ferrer, meanwhile, secured his third-round spot by beating Thomas Johansson 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-2, while 25th seed Mikhail Youzhny and 20th seed Radek Stepanek also secured safe passage to the last 32.