Serena, Murray advance as Melbourne swelters

MELBOURNE: Andy Murray and Serena Williams proved quality usually prevails even in sweltering heat as they continued the dominance of the tennis elite with comfortable second round victories at the Australian Open on Thursday.Third seed Williams did her best to keep her time on court to a minimum as she swept aside Garbine Muguruza 6-2 6-0 before Murray, her counterpart in the men’s draw, kept his cool to despatch Joao Sousa 6-2 6-2 6-4.Victoria Azarenka may be defending champion and world number one but Williams is odds-on favourite to capture a 16th grand slam title and a sixth in Australia next week.The Belarussian proceeded easily enough with a 6-1 6-0 thrashing of Eleni Daniilidou but any hopes she had that Williams, against whom she has a 1-11 record, might be hampered by the ankle she injured on Tuesday were quickly dashed.Jo-Wilfried Tsonga looked to be wilting in the sweltering heat of Margaret Court Arena when Go Soeda was 5-3 up and serving for the second set but the French seventh seed recovered to slap down the Japanese 6-3 7-6 6-3.Tsonga, losing finalist here five years ago, was not happy with his performance but was not about to blame the heat. “You have to deal with it. That’s it,” he said.

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Serena, Murray advance as Melbourne swelters