MELBOURNE, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Carlos Alcaraz overcame an early stutter at the Australian Open to defeat German Yannick Hanfmann 7-6(4) 6-3 6-2 on Wednesday and move into the third round as he continues his bid for a career Grand Slam at Melbourne Park.
After a breezy win in the first round against Adam Walton, the 22-year-old Alcaraz was given more of a workout by Hanfmann on a sunbathed Rod Laver Arena but he rose to the challenge and booked a clash with either Michael Zheng or Corentin Moutet.
Alcaraz moved up a gear to draw level after trailing 1-3, but squandered several opportunities to break Hanfmann's huge serve again before pouncing in the tiebreak to wrap up a physically draining opening set in 78 minutes.
The six-times major winner did not let the second set become another arm-wrestle, relying on his pace and precision to surge ahead and double his advantage in the match.
Hanfmann looked deflated at the start of the third set after receiving medical treatment during the break and a more free-flowing Alcaraz showed no mercy as he sealed a double break and then closed out the contest on serve.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
