Federer and Wozniacki stay on track as Anderson crashes

Roger Federer ground out a tough three-set win to make the Australian Open third round for an incredible 20th straight year Thursday and stay on track for a seventh title, with defending champion Caroline Wozniacki also safely through.

But it was curtains for South African fifth seed Kevin Anderson, who slumped out to young American Frances Tiafoe.

On an overcast day at Melbourne Park, former US Open champion and fifth seeded Sloane Stephens joined the big guns in progressing, but the women's side also saw a top 10 player crash.

Ninth seed Kiki Bertens, who raced through the rankings last year after winning three titles, was whipped in three sets by Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Federer might be 37 but he's not showing his age, with British qualifier Dan Evans the latest to fall under his spell as he works towards a third successive Australian crown and 21st major victory.

He defeated Evans at Wimbledon last year with the loss of just eight games, but it was a much harder assignment this time, winning 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena.

"I think if I could have pulled away earlier in the match it might have been easier," said the third seed. "I think he played very well, it was hard to pull away to his credit."

The Swiss star's Australian achievements so far put him on a par with other six-time winners Novak Djokovic and Roy Emerson -- although the Australian great's victories all came before the Open era.

He next plays either France's Gael Monfils or American Taylor Fritz.

If he goes on to win the tournament, he will become the first man ever to claim seven or more titles at two Grand Slams, having already won eight Wimbledons.

His long-time rival and 17-time Slam winner Rafael Nadal takes on local hope Matthew Ebden in a night match.

The Spaniard is bidding for his own slice of history by becoming the first man in the Open era, and only the third in history along with Emerson and Rod Laver, to win each Grand Slam on two or more occasions.

Anderson, beaten by Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final last year, was sent packing by Tiafoe 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.

The fifth seed struggled with an elbow injury early in the clash and couldn't cope with the 20-year-old power and finesse.

World number 39 Tiafoe, who equalled his best ever Grand Slam result, next plays veteran Italian Andreas Seppi and said he was ecstatic.

"It's all about competing, how bad you want it and I want it real bad," he said, fresh from playing the mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth with Serena Williams.

- Collision course -

Sixth seed Marin Cilic, who lost in the final to Federer last year, had no such dramas, grinding past American Mackenzie McDonald in four sets.

The Croat now plays Spanish 26th seed Fernando Verdasco, who beat Radu Albot of Moldova.

Another young gun, Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas, also stayed alive, overcoming a tricky test against Serbian Viktor Troicki in four sets.

Dane Wozniacki, who is battling rheumatoid arthritis, steamrolled past Sweden's Johanna Larsson 6-1, 6-3 as she bids to become the first woman to defend the title since Victoria Azarenka in 2013.

It set up a potential glamour clash with Maria Sharapova, who plays later.

"I thought I started pretty well, started aggressively, but she started making less errors and I was just trying to stay consistent," Wozniacki said.

Meanwhile, Stephens, who endured a horror run at Melbourne Park since reaching the semi-final in 2013, exiting in the first round in 2015, 2016 and 2018, swatted aside former doubles partner Timea Babos 6-3, 6-1.

It kept her on a collision course with world number two Angelique Kerber in the quarter-finals.

Second seeded Kerber, the 2016 champion, resumes her tournament later Wednesday against fellow left-hander Beatriz Haddad Maia as she targets a 100th Grand Slam main draw win.

Others safely through included 15th seed Ashleigh Barty and 19th seed Caroline Garcia.

Highlights of Wednesday's third day of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year (all times GMT): (Reuters)

0541 CILIC BEATS MCDONALD

Marin Cilic overcame a mid-match blip by losing the second set but recovered to defeat unseeded American Mackenzie McDonald 7-5 6-7(9) 6-4 6-4. The Croatian set up a third round meeting with Fernando Verdasco or Radu Albot.

0529 ANDERSON STUNNED BY TIAFOE

Fifth seed Kevin Anderson cruised through the opening set against Frances Tiafoe but lost his way thereafter, allowing the American youngster to seal a 4-6 6-4 6-4 7-5 upset victory.

0423 BARTY TOO GOOD FOR WANG

Local favourite Ashleigh Barty continued her strong start to the tournament as she thumped China's Wang Yafan 6-2 6-3 to move into the third round.

The 15th seed, who warmed up for the season's first major by reaching the final of last week's Sydney International, takes on Maria Sakkari in the third round after the Greek beat local qualifier Astra Sharma 6-1 6-4.

0305 TSITSIPAS MOVES PAST TROICKI

Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas had a brief hiccup against Serbian qualifier Viktor Troicki by dropping the second set but moved through to the third round with a 6-3 2-6 6-2 7-5 victory.

The 20-year-old Tsitsipas, who is revelling in the support from a vocal and large expat Greek community in Melbourne, will now face 19th-seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili in the third round after the Georgian needed five sets to overcome Italian qualifier Stefano Travaglia.

0203 STEPHENS ADVANCES TO FACE MARTIC

American fifth seed Sloane Stephens moved past Timea Babos 6-3 6-1 to set up a third round clash with Croatia's Petra Martic.

0149 SASNOVICH'S SENSE OF HUMOUR ON POINT

Aliaksandra Sasnovich was in a jocular mood following her 6-3 6-3 victory over 20th seed Anett Kontaveit.

"I will of course go eat McDonalds and eat some Nutella," she said when asked how she would prepare for the next round where she meets Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who upset ninth seed Kiki Bertens 3-6 6-3 6-3.

"No. I'm joking. I will of course go shopping."

0115 GARCIA SHRUGS OFF ATTACK OF HIVES

Women's 19th seed Caroline Garcia ended the hopes of Australian Zoe Hives to become the first player into the third round with a 6-3 6-3 victory in just 65 minutes on the 1573 Arena.

The 22-year-old Hives had provided something of a boost for local fans on Monday when she beat American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the first round, but was unable to hold off the Frenchwoman, who now will meet either Sachia Vickery or Danielle Collins in the third round.

0010 PLAY UNDERWAY AT MELBOURNE PARK

Play got underway on schedule under sunny skies at 11 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) with the temperature hovering just under the 23 degrees Celsius mark with a forecast high of 26C