Originally published Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at 12:00 AM

Tennis | Standouts from Serbia advance to 3rd round of Australia Open

Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic cruised into the third round of the Australian Open, with both 21-year-olds from Serbia looking as if they...

By The Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia — Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic cruised into the third round of the Australian Open, with both 21-year-olds from Serbia looking as if they could make another memorable run in the season's first major tennis tournament.

Ivanovic beat Italian Alberta Brianti 6-3, 6-2 Tuesday at Rod Laver Arena, before defending men's champion Djokovic rolled to a 7-5, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Jeremy Chardy of France.

Top-ranked Jelena Jankovic, the only one of the emerging Serbian trio without a major title, had a little more trouble advancing. She held on for a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium.

Jankovic, 23, needed a medical timeout for treatment on her right foot in the first set and was broken three times in a tougher-than-expected, 1-hour, 46-minute match.

Chardy matched No. 3 Djokovic shot for shot before wilting while trying to force a tiebreaker in the first set.

"I played very well in the second and third sets," Djokovic said.

Second-seeded Roger Federer of Switzerland beat Evgeny Korolev of Russia 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 and will face No. 26 Marat Safin of Russia in the third round.

Ivanovic lost the last Australian Open final to Russian Maria Sharapova, then won her first Grand Slam tournament title at the French Open.

Third-seeded Dinara Safina overcame 44 unforced errors in a 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-0 victory over fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova and will next play No. 25 Kaia Kanepi of Estonia.

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal of Spain ditched his trademark sleeveless top for a conventional T-shirt in the first round and overpowered Christophe Rochus of Belgium 6-0, 6-2, 6-2.

American James Blake, seeded ninth, beat Frank Dancevic of Canada 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 in a first-round match.

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