Third seed Milos Raonic continued his machine-like advance through the Australian Open on Thursday, easing past Gilles Muller 6-3 6-4 7-6(4) to reach the third round.
Milos Raonic in action Photo: Photosport
The big-serving Canadian, a semi-finalist at Melbourne Park last year, was clinical on a sun-bathed Margaret Court Arena, firing 21 aces and breaking the serve-volleyer from Luxembourg once in each of the first two sets.
Left-hander Muller, who celebrated his maiden ATP title in Sydney earlier this month in his 17th year as a professional, saved a match point in the decisive tiebreak but fired a forehand into the tramlines to bow out.
Raonic will next play French 25th seed Gilles Simon for a place in the fourth round.
In the women's draw, Slovakian sixth seed Dominika Cibulkova overcame some stiff resistance from Hsieh Su-wei before she converted her third match point to seal a 6-4 7-6(8) victory over her Taiwanese opponent in one hour and 43 minutes.
Caroline Wozniacki. Photo: Photosport
Cibulkova advances to face Russian 30th seed Ekaterina Makarova in the next round.
Meanwhile Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, who hit just nine unforced errors, has no problem nullifying the dangerous Donna Vekic, beating the Croatian 6-1 6-3 in an hour and 16 minutes.
The Dane faces ninth seed Johanna Konta in the third round.
-Reuters
