It was a good start to day four of the Australian Open if you were a right-handed seed with a single-handed backhand, as both Richard Gasquet of France and Philipp Kohlschreiber both secured dominant wins.
Gasquet, the eighteenth seed, dismissed Argentinian veteran Carlos Berlocq in straight sets, 61 61 61. Berlocq had done well to win a round, as the veteran thirty-three year-old is rather a rare sight at hard-court tournaments, preferring instead to play ATP or Challenger events on the clay. Gasquet’s class told as he raced into a four-love lead in the first set. Berlocq had to settle for just managing to avoid the bagel in each set but it only delayed the former Wimbledon semi-finalist’s progress into round three.
Philipp Kohlschreiber, the thirty-second seed, survived a tough first set battle with American Donald Young, before winning the next two sets comfortably by dropping just three games, winning 75 63 60. Young had competed well in the first set, breaking back quickly early on. He had his own chances later in the first set, but played a loose game at five-all when a framed forehand really put in trouble, and Kohlschreiber took full advantage.
Young again pressed early in the second, trying to use his left-handed forehand to force errors from the Kohlschreiber backhand. Unfortunately for the American, the errors flowed from his racket instead, playing particularly poorly at the net, either being passed easily, or missing a number of regulation volleys and smashes. Kohlschreiber, as in the first set, broke early, and Young’s inconsistencies ensured that there was no repeat break as there had been in the first for the American.
Young’s challenge quickly faded in the third, failing to hold serve as his erratic play reached alarming levels. Kohlschreiber won every game, to seal the match in just over one hour and fifty minutes of play.
Another early seed in action, Pablo Carreno Busta, defeated Britain’s Kyle Edmund in straight sets, 62 64 62.
Gasquet awaits the winner of the match between Brisbane winner and fifteenth seed Grigor Dimitrov, and the young Korean star Hyeon Chung.
Kohlschreiber will play the winner of the match between sixth seed Gael Monfils and the unseeded Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov.
Finally, Carreno Busta, already enjoying a career-run at the Australian Open having lost in first round in each of his previous appearances, faces either Denis Istomin or defending champion and second seed Novak Djokovic in the third round.
