Australian Jelena Dokic has beaten 17th seed Anna Chakvetadze of Russia in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena crowd on Wednesday night, 6-4 6-7(4) 6-3.
In a competitive first set, both players held their serve in the first six games. Chakvetadze was the first to win a break for the match, but Dokic broke back straight away, levelling the opening set four games apiece.
Dokic, a former world no.4, went on to win the next two games, breaking Chakvetadze again and pinching the set 6-4.
It looked like Dokic had the second set under control as she dashed to a 4-1 lead, running all over the 21-year-old Russian.
But Chakvetadze worked the Australian hard, winning the next two games and bringing herself back into the match.
The set then became an exchange of breaks as Chakvetadze found her range and levelled the set 5-5, eventually forcing it to a tiebreaker.
Dokic, a 2002 Wimbledon semifinalist, made numerous errors in the tiebreak which gave Chakvetadze a mini-break, the Russian ultimately snatching it 7-4 in a set that lasted 52 minutes.
In the deciding set, the 25-year-old Australian raced to a 3-1 lead, moving well around the court despite calling for a trainer for treatment on her ankle in the first exchange of ends.
Serving to stay in the match at 3-5 down, Chakvetadze saved two match points but failed to survive another, handing the match to Dokic by serving a double fault.
Dokic, who received a standing ovation after her win, has set up a tantalising clash with 11th seed Caroline Wozniacki in the next round.
Quick facts
Chakvetadze served five aces to Dokic’s three, but paid the price for 16 double faults
The Russian had 50 unforced errors to Dokic’s 35
Chakvetadze had more winners, 28-27
Dokic only capitalised on six of 15 break point opportunities, while Chakvetadze converted three of her seven break point chances
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