MELBOURNE, Jan 18 (Reuters) – A welcome wind blew away the stifling heat at Melbourne Park on Friday but there was no diverting Novak Djokovic from his path to a third straight Australian Open title as he marched into the fourth round without giving up a set.

Playing with the roof closed on Rod Laver Arena because of a few drops of rain that accompanied the cooler weather, Djokovic’s 6-4 6-3 7-5 victory over Radek Stepanek was by no means a cakewalk, however.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Andy Murray and Serena Williams steamrollered into the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday as sweltering heat at Melbourne Park failed to prove a leveler on day four of the year’s first grand slam.

Suncream, hats and icepacks were the order of the day and spectators cooled off under misting fans as the temperature hit the 40 degrees Celsius mark in late afternoon.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Kimiko Date-Krumm’s former rivals call her crazy but the 42-year-old Japanese, who reached the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday, is intent on playing on until her body gives up on her completely.

Date-Krumm made her Melbourne Park debut 23 years ago and became the oldest woman to win a match at the grand slam tournament with her first round victory over 12th seed Nadia Petrova on Tuesday.

MELBOURNE, Jan 17 (Reuters) – Kimiko Date-Krumm’s former rivals call her crazy but the 42-year-old Japanese, who reached the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday, is intent on playing on until her body gives up on her completely.

Date-Krumm made her Melbourne Park debut 23 years ago and became the oldest woman to win a match at the grand slam tournament with her first round victory over 12th seed Nadia Petrova on Tuesday.

MELBOURNE, Jan 17 (Reuters) – 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.

Suncream, hats and icepacks were the order of the day at Melbourne Park as temperatures crept steadily towards the 40 degrees Celsius mark on the fourth day of play at the year’s first grand slam.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova scorched into the third round of the Australian Open with displays of ruthless dominance on Wednesday to bring some much-needed pizzazz to the main showcourts.

Djokovic remained on course for a third successive title with a 6-1 6-2 6-3 demolition of Ryan Harrison, while Sharapova pummelled Misaki Doi 6-0 6-0 to become the first player in 28 years to hand out consecutive ‘double-bagels’ at a grand slam.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Maria Sharapova scorched into the third round of the Australian Open with a second successive 6-0 6-0 victory on Wednesday to bring a welcome bit of pizzazz to the main show courts on the third day of the tournament.

David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych had earlier failed to fill the charisma chasm left by the absence of the injured Rafa Nadal and while both got through the second round with some ease, most of the drama was on the outer courts.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Maria Sharapova scorched into the third round of the Australian Open with a second successive 6-0 6-0 victory on Wednesday to bring a welcome bit of pizzazz to the main showcourts on the third day of the tournament.

David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych had earlier failed to fill the charisma chasm left by the absence of the injured Rafa Nadal and while both got through the second round with some ease, most of the drama was on the outer courts.

MELBOURNE, Jan 16 (Reuters) – Maria Sharapova scorched into the third round of the Australian Open with a second successive 6-0 6-0 victory on Wednesday to bring a welcome bit of pizzazz to the main showcourts on the third day of the tournament.

David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych had earlier failed to fill the charisma chasm left by the absence of the injured Rafa Nadal and while both got through the second round with some ease, most of the drama was on the outer courts.

MELBOURNE, Jan 16 (Reuters) – American Brian Baker’s hopes of a fairytale run at the Australian Open were ended in the cruellest of fashions on Wednesday when he was taken off court in a wheelchair after suffering a serious knee injury.

The 27-year-old, who returned in 2012 after seven injury-plagued years off the professional circuit, had won the first set of his second round match against compatriot Sam Querrey when he suffered the injury.