Jankovic crashes out in Melbourne
Seventh-seeded Serb dismissed 7-6 6-3 by rising Chinese star Shuai Peng in second round of Australian Open.
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| If Nadal wins the title, he will hold all four Grand Slams simultaneously, a feat not achieved by Federer [GALLO/GETTY] |
Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic has crashed out of the Australian Open, becoming the highest profile casualty of the tournament so far.
But Rafael Nadal, Kim Clijsters and Andy Murray all cruised through to the third round in Melbourne.
Seventh-seeded Jankovic, who has rarely hit the heights of her 2008 Grand Slam performances, was dismissed 7-6 6-3 by rising Chinese star Shuai Peng.
Jankovic had led by a double break in the first set, but as in so many matches before, lost her way in Wednesday’s encounter.
She joins fellow countrywoman and former world number one Ana Ivanovic on the list of early exits; worrying times for Serbian tennis.
Hopes are being laid on Bojana Jovanovski, who stretched second seed Vera Zvonareva in their second-round clash.
The Russian dropped the first set to the world 58, before turning on the style to win 2-6 6-3 6-1.
She next faces Czech 31st seed Lucie Safarova, who won a topsy-turvy encounter with Klara Zakopalova.
The crafty left-hander might give the world number two a lot of trouble, should she bring her ‘A’ game to the court.
Crowd favourite Kim Clijsters continued her destructive form to see off former quarter finalist Carla Suarez Navarro in straight sets, 6-1 6-3.
And home hope Sam Stosur had little trouble overcoming Vera Dushevina 6-3 6-2.
There were also wins for Polish star Agnieszka Radwanska, and Russian Nadia Petrova, but 18th seed Maria Kirilenko was ousted by Iveta Benesova, 6-3 6-1.
Nalbandian out
World number one Rafael Nadal produced another dominant display to move to the third round, seeing off the challenge of Ryan Sweeting 6-2 6-1 6-1.
Should Nadal win the title, he will hold all four Grand Slams simultaneously, something arch rival Roger Federer has never managed to do.
He next faces Australian Bernard Tomic, a youngster who has failed to progress as much as the home fans would have liked in recent years.
The top seeded Spaniard will almost certainly have too much for the world 199.
Robin Soderling survived a difficult second set to beat Gilles Muller 6-3 7-6 6-1, and the fourth seed will face Jan Hernych in the third round.
Fifth seed Andy Murray defeated rising star Illya Marchenko in the night match, coming from behind in the second set to win 6-1 6-3 6-3.
The Brit was runner up in 2010, and takes on the 32nd seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in round three.
John Isner and Marin Cilic will face-off for the chance to play Nadal in the fourth round, and seventh seed David Ferrer easily beat American Michael Russell.
But David Nalbandian, who put out home favourite Lleyton Hewitt in an epic first-round encounter, was forced to retire in his match with Richard Berankis.
The 27th seed from Argentina has been plagued with injury throughout his career, and retired when 6-1 6-0 2-0 down.
Friday sees both Caroline Wozniacki and Justine Henin face difficult opposition, whilst Novak Djokovic will face Davis Cup compatriot Viktor Troicki.
Roger Federer and Venus Williams will also be trying to reach the fourth round of the year’s first Grand Slam.