Nadal eases through

World number one Rafael Nadal has reached the third round of the Australian Open following a convincing 6-2 6-3 6-2 victory over Croatia’s Roko Karanusic today.

Nadal took one hour 37 minutes to see off his opponent at the Rod Laver Arena and will next face Tommy Haas after the German earlier defeated Italy’s Flavio Cipolla 6-1 6-2 6-1.

Karanusic took the opening game of the match but Nadal battled back and broke serve in the fifth game to go 3-2 ahead before closing out the remainder of the set.

Nadal took 39 minutes to take the second set and then the 22-year-old broke Karanusic’s serve in sixth game of final set and again in the eighth to win the set 6-2 and take the match.