Australian Open 2012 live stream

Fernando Verdasco has progressed to the third round of Australian Open 2010 after a comprehensive 6-1 6-2 6-2 win over Ukrainian qualifier Ivan Sergeyev on Thursday night.

bet365 is live streaming all Australian Open 2010 games - Go to bet365 > Live Streaming > Tennis to watch a live stream

The more experienced of the two, Verdasco showed none of the jitters that saw him battle through round one, and instead proved to a packed Margret Court Arena crowd exactly why he deserves his number nine ranking.

In just 24 minutes, Verdasco emphatically claimed the first set 6-1, breaking Sergeyev’s serve in the first, fifth and seventh games.

With his booming serve and cross-court forehand as a one-two punch, the Spaniard had Sergeyev pinned to the baseline and unable to make his returns easily.

But the 22-year-old Sergeyev, ranked No. 209 in the world, did not advance to the second round of his first Grand Slam event on luck alone. With a change of shirts between sets, a change in the trend of play started to surface as Sergeyev attacked the ball at the net, upped his groundstrokes and tried to limit Verdasco from dictating play.

With the set on serve and both players looking comfortable with their rhythm, it appeared a tight tussle was going to unfold. But Verdasco had a different plan, and in the sixth game decided to make a move, capitalising on his fifth break point opportunity when a Sergeyev forehand sailed over the baseline.

Extending his lead to 5-2 in the next game, Verdasco faced little resistance closing out the set, needing only one of the three set points available.

The third set, at 49 minutes, was the longest of the match. Sergeyev committed 18 unforced errors to Verdasco’s 19, but the Spaniard had nine more winners than his opponent and found continued success on his first serve.

To the delight of the jovial crowd chanting ‘Ole, ole, ole, ole, Verdasco’s hot, hot, hot’ and similar tunes directed at Sergeyev, the third set upped the atmosphere and quality.

Verdasco kept displaying his blistering crosscourt forehand to keep the Ukrainian running ragged, but Sergeyev pulled out some textbook net approaches, once even flicking Verdasco in the face after the ball caught the tape on the way through.

Verdasco broke in the fourth game, but Sergeyev wasn’t going to let him get away easily, and for the first time in the match found himself with a break point opportunity the very next game. It took him three to get there, and after a wild Verdasco forehand ended almost in the front row, the Ukrainian was delighted with getting the set back on serve at 3-2.

Sergeyev tried desperately to carry the momentum into the next game, but a cross-court backhand that landed right at Verdasco’s feet, allowing the Spaniard to slam it into the open court, saw him fall behind again.

From here it was a routine finish, Sergeyev netting a backhand when locked at deuce to present Verdasco with the first and only match point required.

In the third round, Verdasco will meet Austria’s Stefan Koubek, a 7-6(1) 6-1 6-2 victor over Ivan Dodig of Croatia earlier in the day.