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    HIGHLIGHTS-Tennis-Day three at the Australian Open

    Synopsis

    TENNIS-OPEN/HIGHLIGHTS (PIX):HIGHLIGHTS-Tennis-Day three at the Australian Open

    MELBOURNE, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Latest news from the third day of the Australian Open tennis championships on Wednesday (all times GMT):

    0543 WAWRINKA REFUSES TO BASK IN GLORY AFTER JOHNSON WIN

    "Today was a great level, was really happy with my level and very happy to be in the third round," he said.

    "I was feeling the ball better today, being aggressive. I'm really happy with my serve in general, mixing it up. Happy with that, now I'll get ready for the next one."

    0537 FLAWLESS WAWRINKA FLIES INTO THIRD ROUND

    Three-times grand slam winner Stan Wawrinka, who hit 46 winners in a near-flawless display, makes quick work of Steve Johnson, beating the American 6-3 6-4 6-4 in an hour and 51 minutes at Margaret Court Arena.

    The Swiss fourth seed will face Italy's Paolo Lorenzi or Serbian Viktor Troicki in the third round.

    0528 BERDYCH HAMMERS HARRISON

    Czech Republic's 10th seed Tomas Berdych races into the third round after securing a routine 6-3 7-6(6) 6-2 victory over American Ryan Harrison.

    0516 BIRTHDAY GIRL KERBER FEELS AT HOME IN MELBOURNE PARK

    "I remember that I celebrated my 18th birthday at home, so that was a big party. But the rest, I was always here. It's nice," she said, while adding that she will go out for dinner with her team and friends to celebrate her 29th birthday.

    "I mean, I'm feeling here like home, so it's great to be always in Australia for my birthday."

    0453 PLISKOVA BEATS BEGU, FACES KERBER IN THIRD ROUND

    Czech Republic's Kristyna Pliskova battles her way past Irina-Camelia Begu, beating the 27th seeded Romanian 6-4 7-6(8) in an hour and 37 minutes to set up a third-round tie against defending champion and top seed Angelique Kerber.

    0444 TSONGA LOOKS FORWARD TO FATHERLY EXPERIENCE

    "I will be a father. You know, I touch on wood. It's for April, so, yeah. I'm waiting for it.

    "Not especially Andy (Murray), but I have some friends and some people around me who got kids. So, for me, yeah, it's gonna be a new experience and new adventure. It's great."

    READ MORE

    True love keeps Venus coming back for more

    Birthday girl Kerber survives another scare to advance

    Nishikori beats wasteful Chardy to advance to third round

    Kerber hoping first-round wake-up call will ease nerves

    Rublev preparing to land knockout blow on Murray

    Djokovic fends off Nadal-slayer Verdasco

    Wozniacki leaves behind White House memories to halt slide

    Appetite for destruction helps Zverev into second round

    0423 NISHIKORI LOOKS TO BREAK DJOKOVIC-MURRAY DOMINANCE

    "I think those two guys are still dominating the Tour, like you see last year," the Japanese fifth seed says. "But I hope I can sneak in there ... to beat Andy and Novak. I mean, if I wanted to win a Grand Slam or Masters, I have to beat those two guys anyway. It's going to be a big challenge for me, but I'm enjoying this challenge."

    0418 CLINICAL JANKOVIC WALTZES PAST GOERGES

    Former world number one Jelena Jankovic converts four of her five break points en route to beating Germany's Julia Goerges 6-3 6-4. The Serbian next faces Russian eighth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.

    0412 BIRTHDAY GIRL KERBER EDGES TENSE CLASH

    Germany's Carina Witthoeft threatened to spoil Angelique Kerber's 29th birthday but the defending champion and top seed settles her nerves and beats her compatriot 6-2 6-7(3) 6-2 in two hours and eight minutes.

    0341 FEAR OF STAYING INDOOR KEEPS 36-YEAR-OLD VENUS GOING

    "I would definitely be in the office," Venus said when asked what would she be doing if not playing tennis.

    "So this has saved me from that. I like to be outside. I'm still making the transition of being indoors a lot. It's hard on me."

    0332 TSONGA CRUISES THROUGH TO THIRD ROUND

    French 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga swats aside the threat from Dusan Lajovic, beating the Serbian 6-2 6-2 6-3 in an hour and 45 minutes to advance to the third round.

    0314 KUZNETSOVA BRUSHES ASIDE FOURLIS

    Two-times grand slam winner Svetlana Kuznetsova makes quick work of Jaimee Fourlis, beating the 17-year-old Australian 6-2 6-1 in an hour and 23 minutes at Margaret Court Arena.

    The Russian eighth seed will face former world number one Jelena Jankovic in the third round.

    0302 RISKE DOWNS ZHANG TO PROGRESS

    There will be no fairy-tale run for last year's quarter-finalist Zhang Shuai as the Chinese 20th seed loses a tense two-hour, 45 minute-battle against American Alison Riske 7-6(7) 4-6 6-1.

    0247 DUAN BEATS LEPCHENKO, FACES VENUS IN THIRD ROUND

    China's Duan Yingying battles her way past Varvara Lepchenko, beating the American 6-1 3-6 10-8 in two hours and 27 minutes to set up a third-round tie against Venus Williams.

    0223 NISHIKORI SECURES COMFORTABLE WIN OVER CHARDY

    Kei Nishikori has no problem nullifying the threat from a sloppy Jeremy Chardy, who hit 23 winners to go with his 53 unforced errors. The Japanese fifth seed beats the Frenchman 6-3 6-4 6-3 in two hours and six minutes.

    0142 VENUS HAMMERS VOEGELE

    Seven-times grand slam winner Venus Williams races into the Australian Open third round for a 13th time with 6-3 6-2 victory over Swiss qualifier Stefanie Voegele.

    0130 SVITOLINA INTO THIRD ROUND CLASH WITH PAVLYUCHENKOVA

    Ukraine's 11th seed Elina Svitolina wastes little time in racing into the third round with a 6-4 6-1 victory over American Julia Boserup in 76 minutes on Margaret Court Arena, setting up a clash against 24th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

    "I'm very happy. I didn't play my best. I was fighting and trying to find my game but at the end it was getting better and better and I'm glad I won," the 22-year-old said.

    Russian Pavlyuchenkova had beaten compatriot Natalia Vikhlyantseva 6-2 6-2 on Show Court Two shortly before Svitolina wrapped up her match with a backhand winner.

    0005 GMT PLAYERS WARMING UP ON THIRD DAY

    Melbourne's fickle weather has again reared its head, with temperatures dropping to just below 20C after pushing into the mid-30s for the first two days of the tournament.

    Local interest will be high with five Australians on court, headlined by 14th-seed Nick Kyrgios' clash with Andreas Seppi on Hisense Arena. Andy Murray and Roger Federer are also on the main Rod Laver Arena for their respective second round clashes.

    ORDER OF PLAY

    ROD LAVER ARENA

    Stefanie Voegele (Switzerland) v 13-Venus Williams (U.S.)

    1-Angelique Kerber (Germany) v Carina Witthoeft (Germany)

    Noah Rubin (U.S.) vs 17-Roger Federer (Switzerland)

    Not before 0800 GMT:

    Samantha Crawford (U.S.) v 7-Garbine Muguruza (Spain)

    1-Andy Murray (Britain) v Andrey Rublev (Russia)

    MARGARET COURT ARENA

    11-Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) v Julia Boserup (U.S.)

    Jaimee Fourlis (Australia) v 8-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia)

    4-Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland) v Steve Johnson (U.S.)

    Not before 0800 GMT:

    Shelby Rogers (U.S.) v Ashleigh Barty (Australia)

    27-Bernard Tomic (Australia) v Victor Estrella Burgos (Dominican Republic)

    HISENSE ARENA

    Jeremy Chardy (France) v 5-Kei Nishikori (Japan)

    Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) v Julia Goerges (Germany)

    Shuai Peng (China) v Eugenie Bouchard (Canada)

    Not before 0700 GMT:

    Andreas Seppi (Italy) v 14-Nick Kyrgios (Australia) (Compiled by Greg Stutchbury and Shravanth Vijayakumar, editing by Peter Rutherford/Amlan Chakraborty)



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