Roger, Rafa advance without much trouble

Melbourne, Australia— Rafael Nadal advanced to the third round of the Australian Open on yesterday without much trouble from his opponent or his injured right knee. Rival Roger Federer got through without picking up a racket

Nadal beat German veteran Tommy Haas 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in a 2 1/2-hour match, declaring that the twisted tendon in the heavily taped knee was not a concern.

Just before Federer was due on Hisense Arena, the Swiss found out that his scheduled opponent, Germany’s Andreas Beck, had a back injury and had to withdraw.

“Now, I’ll just take it easy this afternoon and come out tomorrow and hit intensely, and then I’ll be ready for the next match,” said Federer, a four-time Australian Open winner.

Nadal, asked after his match if he would have appreciated the same kind of good fortune, was pragmatic.

Nadal and Federer could meet in the semifinals next week.

Top-seeded Novak Djokovic and fourth-seeded Andy Murray, the threats from the other side of the draw, play their second-rounders Thursday.

Wozniacki,

Clijsters advance

Two of the women’s title contenders, defending champion Kim Clijsters and No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, both won their second-round matches Wednesday on their way to a potential quarterfinal meeting.

French Open champion Li Na also advanced, defeating Olivia Rogowska of Australia 6-2, 6-2. She could meet Clijsters in the fourth round in a rematch of last year’s final at Melbourne Park.

Clijsters needed only 47 minutes to beat Stephanie Foretz Gacon of France 6-0, 6-1 and Wozniacki defeated Anna Tatishvili of Georgia 6-1, 7-6 (4).

Clijsters said she doesn’t give a lot of thought to who she’ll face down the road of any tournament.

Third-seeded Victoria Azarenka, one of five players who could have the No. 1 women’s ranking by the end of the tournament, was scheduled to play Australian wild-card Casey Dellacqua in a late match Wednesday.

Elsewhere on the women’s side, 10th-seeded Francesca Schiavone was eliminated 6-4, 6-3 by fellow Italian Romina Oprandi and No. 16 Peng Shuai of China lost 6-2, 6-4 to Iveta Benesova of Czech Republic.

Former No. 1-ranked Jelena Jankovic beat Chang Kai-chen of Taiwan 6-4, 6-2

8th-ranked

fish out

Eighth-ranked Mardy Fish became the first top 10 player on the men’s side to lose, falling 7-6 (4), 6-3, 7-6 (6) to Colombia’s Alejandro Falla.

No. 7 Tomas Berdych beat Olivier Rochus of Belgium 6-1, 6-0, 7-6 (4) and 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, No. 18 Feliciano Lopez and No. 30 Kevin Anderson also advanced.

Qualifier Lukas Lacko of Slovakia beat American Donald Young 6-3, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to earn a match against Nadal. Young’s countryman Sam Querrey played Australian teenager Bernard Tomic to kick off the night program at Rod Laver.

Another American, 16th-seeded John Isner, won a 4-hour, 41-minute marathon, including a 99-minute last set, over former Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian. Isner had 43 aces in his 4-6, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 10-8 win.

Ivo Karlovic of Croatia beat Carlos Berlocq of 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and will play Federer in the third round, while 13th-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine defeated Tobias Kamke of Germany 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 3-6, 8-6.

Dolgopolov next plays Australian teenager Bernard Tomic, who beat American Sam Querrey 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-3 in the opening night match on Rod Laver Arena. /ap