by Ros Satar
Watson def Pervak 4-6 7-6(7) 6-2
British number one, Heather Watson, ground out a gutsy win against Ksenia Pervak after facing three match points in the second set tiebreak.
Watson got off to a slow start again, and Pervak (who despatched Caroline Wozniacki the first round in Brisbane) was in command in the first set.
Watson, who came back from a set down in her first round match in Melbourne) was 3-6 down in the second set tiebreak and with the help of the boisterous crowd, dug in to turn the match around.
The change in momentum took the wind out of Pervak’s sails, who quickly found herself 0-3 down in the deciding set, and despite suffering from cramp in the final set, Watson played the match out aggresively.
Watson faces Agnieszka Radwanska, world number four, and seeded fourth here.
She faced Radwanska in the third round of Wimbledon last year, and lost in straight sets 0 and 2.
By her own admission, the nerves got to her, but this time she feels more prepared.
Andy Murray should face no issues tomorrow, as he continues his campaign against Joao Sousa, of Portugal.
The weather has been getting progressively hotter in Melbourne and scheduled second, the sun could be at its hottest when Murray takes to the court.
Laura Robson could record an upset in Day 4, against Wimbledon 2011 champion Petra Kvitova, when they play the final night match on Rod Laver Arena.
Robson, who was born in Melbourne, and enjoys a lot of support when she plays in Australia, had a great run in last year’s US Open, and called time on three-time champion Kim Clijsters, beating her in the second round.
Kvitova has not had the best of starts to her 2013 season, losing in R1 in Sydney to Dominika Cibulkova.
Doubles
The doubles got underway on Day 3, but it was a disappointing start for Colin Fleming and Jamie Murray who lost in straight sets, 5-7 5-7
Fleming’s regular partner, Ross Hutchins, was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease and is undergoing treatment currently in the UK.
Laura Robson (partnered with Hungarian Timea Babos) were defeated by Anastasia Pavlyuchenko and Lucie Safarova 2-6, 4-6.