OMNISPORT
Two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic, David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych all eased into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday.
But while Djokovic, Ferrer and Berdych all recorded straight-sets wins against veteran Czech Radek Stepanek, 2006 finalist Marcos Baghdatis and Austrian 26th seed Jurgen Melzer respectively, Serb Janko Tipsarevic, the number eight seed, had to work hard before advancing in five sets.
Tenth-seeded Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, Switzerland's 15th seed Stanislas Wawrinka and Japan's 16th seed Kei Nishikori are also into the last 16 but they won't be joined there by number 22 seed Fernando Verdasco after the Spaniard was sent packing by South African and Sydney International finalist Kevin Anderson.
World number one and top seed Djokovic, who is bidding to become the first man in the Open era to win the Australian Open three times in a row, sent the 31st seed on his way 6-4 6-3 7-5.
Having already seen off Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu and American Ryan Harrison in straight sets, Djokovic was in no mood to show Stepanek any mercy.
While Djokovic's first-serve percentage was fractionally lower than his opponent's, he did win 86 percent of the points when he landed his first serve while he also won the winners count 37-26 and committed fewer unforced errors with 19 to 37.
The five-time grand slam champion will now battle for a spot in the quarter-finals against Wawrinka who defeated America's 20th seed Sam Querrey in straight sets 7-6 (8-6) 7-5 6-4.