Kuznetsova progresses to third round with minimum fuss

FRENCH Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova proceeded to the third round of the Australian Open with minimum fuss, dismissing teenager Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets.

GOOD, BUT NOT GREAT: Third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova fails to come out of first gear but progresses to the third round of the Australian Open (Getty Images)

Having lifted the junior title in Melbourne in 2006 and 2007, the Russian teenager was expected to provide an early test for world number three Kuznetsova.

But Pavlyuchenkova looked completely out of place for much of the match in the Rod Laver Arena, holding her serve just twice as she succumbed to a 6-2, 6-2 defeat.

But while her Kuznetsova didn't need to move out of first gear to win, the world number three was far below her best, looking increasingly hot and bothered as her opponent threatened to force her way back into the match during the second set.

In the end, the elder Russian's class and experience showed through but Kuznetsova will need to raise her game quickly with a potential fourth round clash against US Open champion Kim Clijsters on the horizon.

Kuznetsova started slowly and lost her opening service game but the Russian quickly reclaimed momentum and rolled off the next five games without breaking sweat.

Pavlyuchenkova briefly rallied and after surviving three set points on her opponents serve was gifted a break back.

But after punishing a short approach shot from Kuznetsova to take the first point in the next game, the teenager surrendered the following four and walked miserably to her a chair, having lost all four of her service games.

The younger Russian raised her level in the second set, timing her ground strokes better and forcing more errors from Kuznetsova.

But after holding her serve for the first two times in the match to stay 2-2 with the third seed, Pavlyuchenkova's timing deserted her once again and she gifted her opponent a break.

Kuznetsova sensed the finish line was within touching distance and turned on the gas to breeze through the final two games.

Elsewhere, Belarus' seventh seed Victoria Azarenka romped through her first round match with France's Stephanie Cohen-Aloro, winning 6-2, 6-0 in just 63 minutes, while ninth seed Vera Zvonareva - a semi-finalist in Melbourne last year - came through her first round tie with Slovakia's Kristina Kucova by the same scoreline.

World number four Caroline Wozniacki, who reached her first grand slam final at the US Open last season before losing to Kim Clijsters, also kicked off her campaign on Wednesday morning. The Dane defeated Canada's Aleksandria Wozniak 6-4, 6-2 in the Hisense Arena.