Roger Federer battles into Australian Open third round

Melbourne, Jan 16 (AFP) Defending champion Roger Federer reached the Australian Open third round for a twentieth straight year Wednesday yet was made to battle hard by Britain's Dan Evans before winning 7-6 (7/5) 7-6 (7/3) 6-3.

The ageless 20-time Grand Slam champion, who is gunning for a record seventh Melbourne Park title and third in row, had breezed past Denis Istomin in the first round, however was given an a lot harder examination by the world number 189.

"I think if I could have pulled away early in the match in the match it might have been different," said the 37-year-old Swiss ace who required 2hr 35min to move beyond his 28-year-old opponent.

Evans, whose ranking plummeted from a career-high 41 after he was slapped with a year-long ban for testing positive to cocaine in April 2017, played practically perfect tennis to fight off a set point on his approach to forcing a first set tie-break.

He even had the temerity to lead 5-3 in the breaker before Federer stepped up a gear and reeled off the next four points with a cry of "Come on!" as he secured a hard-fought opening set after exactly one hour.

It was harsh on Evans who had committed only two unforced errors and constantly put the third seed under strain with his hastening, attacking game and flurry of winners off both wings.

The brave Evans, who had made sections of land of progress and found the lines splendidly, required treatment for rankles on the two feet previously the second set began and promptly was broken.

Be that as it may, he declined to rests and crushed spirit as Federer served for the set to drive another tie-break.

"I figured I may have pulled away midway through the second set," added Federer.

"But I couldn't, to his credit. He played well."

The Swiss star hasn't often needed luck during his unparallelled profession yet he exploited some in the third set to finally ease the pressure.

Holding break point at 2-1, he barely scooped up a half-volley which grabbed the net rope and toppled over forcing Evans to go long.

A service game to love followed to put Federer 4-1 up and the brave resistance of Evans was finally broken.

The veteran will next play either France's Gael Monfils, seeded 30, or American Taylor Fritz in the last 32.