Berdych Soars Into Second Round; Bosnians Advance

Tomas Berdych booked his spot in the Australian Open second round, needing just one hour and 45 minutes to secure a 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 victory over top Indian Yuki Bhambri on Monday.

The sixth seed launched 35 winners, including 13 aces, and converted an efficient six of eight break chances. He won 35 of 39 first serve points, kicking off his bid to reach the semi-finals down under for a third straight year. Making his 13th straight appearance, Berdych owns 35 match wins in Melbourne Park, the most at any Grand Slam.

Berdych will next face qualifier Mirza Basic, a 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-4 winner over Robin Haase. Basic became the second player representing Bosnia & Herzegovina to win a Grand Slam match, joining Damir Dzumhur. Making his major debut, he overcame 17 aces from his Dutch opponent, while staving off 11 of 12 break points faced.

Dzumhur, meanwhile, survived his first Grand Slam five-setter, edging Kyle Edmund 1-6, 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. The Sarajevo native was the first Bosnian to qualify for a major and win a match, reaching the third round at the Australian Open in 2014.