Defending champion Andre Agassi and top-ranked Andy Roddick, who could meet in the semifinals, were in fine form as they rushed through straight-set victories in second-round matches yesterday at the Australian Open.
It seemed that the only mistake Agassi made in his victory over Tomas Berdych came when he changed rackets early in the third set and accidentally carried the plastic cover on court.
"Today felt really good. I think there was a lot of quality ball striking going on, from both sides," said Agassi, who has won 23 consecutive matches at Melbourne Park.
He now faces Thomas Enqvist of Sweden in pursuit of his fifth title here and his ninth Grand Slam.
Justine Henin-Hardenne, ranked No. 1 and winner at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2003, had a 6-1, 6-4 win over childhood friend Camille Pin of France, and fourth-seeded Amelie Mauresmo advanced in straight sets.
"I'm just happy to come through and win this match in two sets," Henin-Hardenne said. "I've been sick for two or three days. I was tired and out of energy."
Fifth-seeded Lindsay Davenport advanced 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 over Emilie Loit of France. Davenport won 10 of 12 points after Loit took a medical time-out to get her thigh taped at 3-0 in the third. She broke Loit's serve in the last game.
Agassi was on center court only 1 hour, 22 minutes. Roddick sped through nine minutes faster, firing 20 aces along the way.
Roddick set up triple match point with a curling forehand winner down the line and finished it off with a booming first-serve winner.
"My serve felt great today," said Roddick, adding that he's playing with an underlying confidence that he didn't have this time last year. It will be tested in the next round when he faces fellow American Taylor Dent.
Agassi took the first set in 18 minutes and Berdych did not have a game point until he held serve while already down 0-2 in the second set.
Berdych had more winners than Agassi, 27-23, and had more aces, 12-7, but was much more inconsistent, committing 35 unforced errors to just 10 for Agassi.
The crowd started off decidedly pro-Agassi but, clearly feeling sorry for the underdog, gradually switched to Berdych, who started finding his rhythm midway through the second set.
Roddick, who recorded the fastest serve of the tournament so far at 225kph moved into a showdown with Dent, seeded 27th, who overcame Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 3-6, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5 in 3:30.
Dent was frustrated after mixing 83 winners with 77 unforced errors.
"I got by with smoke and mirrors somehow," said Dent, whose serve was broken 10 times. "I'm looking for solutions, I don't have them now."
He knows he must find something to be competitive against Roddick.
"I hope I don't get broken 10 times, otherwise it's going to be a short match," Roddick said.
Frenchman Nicolas Escude, winner at Doha earlier this month, had a 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-4 win over Robin Soderling to extend his stretch to seven matches without dropping a set since his return this month from a hip problem that has sidelined him since Wimbledon.
Soderling beat sixth-seeded Rainer Schuettler, last year's runner-up here, in the first round.
In other men's matches, 16th-seeded Sjeng Schalken beat David Ferrer in four sets, Austria's Jurgen Melzer beat Spaniard Galo Blanco in three and veteran American Todd Martin outslugged Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7).
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