Verdasco reaches Australian Open 2nd round

Melbourne, Jan 16: Spaniard Fernando Verdasco entered the second round of the Australian Open by defeating compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1, 7-5 and 7-5 on Tuesday.

Verdasco kicked off the game and quickly gained advantage in the first set against Bautista, who then wasted his serve and failed to win the second set although he initially had 5-4 in his favour, reports Efe.

In the third set, Bautista, who had just won the Auckland tournament earlier in January against Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro, could not sustain the advantage he initially achieved and lost to Verdasco.

In the second round of the tournament, Verdasco will compete with German Maximilian Marterer, who also defeated his compatriot Cedrik-Marcel Stebe by 6-0, 6-3 and 6-4 on Tuesday.