MOSCOW, January 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russian tennis players at the Australian Open enjoyed a largely good second day at the first Grand Slam tennis event of the 2006 season.
Two Russian men and one woman tennis players made it through Tuesday to the second round, with other high-profile matches yet to be played.
Fifth seed Nikolai Davydenko came out on top in a five-set battle with Croatia's Ivo Karlovic. After three hours and 21 minutes game, the Russian won 7:5, 4:6, 3:6, 7:5, 6:3.
Igor Andreyev, the no.23 seed even though he prefers playing on clay, cruised to a straight sets victory 7:5, 6:4, 6:3 over Nicolas Almagro from Spain.
In the ladies' singles, 2004 French Open champion Anastasia Myskina defeated Ukraine's Yuliana Fedak 7:6 (8:6), 6:1, but compatriot Vera Dushevina fell at the first hurdle, losing 7:5, 3:6, 1:6 to Colombia's Catalina Castano.
Three more Russian ladies will play on the second day of the tournament. The most anticipated encounter will be between Russia's Vera Zvonareva and former world no.1 Martina Hingis from Switzerland, who made a comeback to the sports last year after a three-year break.
Russian teenage sensation Dinara Safina will meet Tathiana Garbin from Italy, and Anna Chakvetadze will take on China's Jie Zheng.
In all, 11 Russian women and four men tennis player started the tournament, which has a total of about $15 million in prize money up for grabs.
