Australian Open: Djokovic sails into 3rd round

The nine-time champion Novak Djokovic on Thursday survived an injury scare to reach the third round of the Australian Open, beating Frenchman Enzo Couacaud here at Rod Laver Arena, here. The 35-year-old, struggling with his left leg, edged past Couacaud 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-0 in three hours and four minutes. He will lock horns with former World No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov, who defeated Laslo Djere 6-3, 6-2, 6-0, in the third round. The Serbian is chasing a record-tying 22nd Grand Slam trophy and reclaims No. 1 spot in the ATP Rankings if he wins the title. As the second set wore on, Djokovic became hampered by his left hamstring injury. Playing with heavy strapping, the fourth seed blanched after stretching for a ball at 4-4, calling for a medical timeout when trailing 4-5. His movement was clearly compromised and Couacaud took full advantage. When Djokovic let slip the second set in a tie-break, it was unclear how his body would react for the rest of the match. But the Serbian locked in and improved physically, winning 12 of the match’s final 14 games. American Jenson Brooksby knocked second seed Casper Ruud out of the Australian Open on Thursday with a 6-3 7-5 6-7(4) 6-2 victory, extinguishing the Norwegian’s hopes of winning a first Grand Slam title and topping the world rankings. Two breaks of serve in the opening set of the second-round match handed Brooksby the early lead and he dictated terms in the second to raise the prospect of another big upset by a Californian after Mackenzie McDonald beat defending champion Rafa Nadal. The 24-year-old Ruud, twice a runner-up in Grand Slams last year, saved three match points before winning the third set in a tiebreak as Brooksby began to feel the pressure but the American regained his composure in the fourth to complete the win. World No. 2 Rafael Nadal is expected to be out of action for six to eight weeks after sustaining a grade 2 injury during his second loss at the Australian Open. In Wednesday’s match at 3-4 in th