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SECOND seed Roger Federer survived a first set scare before he ramped up his performance and advanced safely to the third round of the Australian Open with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Italian journeyman Simone Bolelli. Federer initially looked out of sorts against the 29-year-old Italian, who was perhaps feeding off the energy Alexandra Panova generated in almost beating women’s second seed Maria Sharapova immediately before their match on Rod Laver Arena.

After the opening set he called on the trainer for what initially appeared to be a blister on the little finger of his right hand, though he ushered away a nearby television cameraman saying: “Do you need to be so close?”

The 33-year-old Swiss went on to seize his opportunity to turn the momentum of the match in the eighth game of the second set when he broke Bolelli for the first time, which was followed by a massive bellow of ‘come on’.

Federer had been awarded the match when a Bolelli shot was called long at 5-1 in the fourth set, but the Italian correctly challenged and the point was replayed though it only delayed the inevitable as the 17-time grand slam winner then served it out.

“I’m very happy,” the 17-time grand slam champion said afterwards. “It was a great match. I thought Simone played really well in the first set, so I really had to fight until the middle of the third set and once I got the break I was able to relax a little bit, but it was tough and I’m really pleased to come through.

“I was already seeing myself explaining losing in the second round and I’m happy I don’t have to do that interview.”

Earlier, Tomas Berdych was the first man into the third round after a straight-sets defeat of Jurgen Melzer. The seventh-seeded Czech won through with a 7-6 (7-0), 6-2, 6-2 defeat of the Austrian in two hours and three minutes.

Berdych, who boasts one of the most effective serves on tour, hit just nine aces. Instead the 2014 Open semi-finalist relied on solid baseline play to progress into the last 32, where he’ll play Viktor Troicki who beat 26th seed Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0. — The Guardian