Defending champion Wawrinka into Australian Open 3rd round

Posted January 20, 2015 10:00 pm

The Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Defending champion Stan Wawrinka advanced to the third round of the Australian Open for the seventh consecutive year with a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-3 win over Romanian qualifier Marius Copil on Thursday.

The fourth-seeded Wawrinka wasn't as consistent as he was in his opening-round win, compiling 39 unforced errors, including 19 on his backhand side. But he saved five of the six break points he faced to close out the match against the No. 194-ranked Copil in straight sets.

Copil was playing in his first Grand Slam main draw.

Wawrinka's route to the quarterfinals got easier with the losses of all the seeded players in his section - Fabio Fognini, Alexandr Dolgopolov and Pablo Cuevas. He could face fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland hits a return to Marius Copil of Romania during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) The Associated Press

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