Djokovic breezes through second round

SYDNEY, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Top-seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia won easily but No. 2 Gilles Simon of France was eliminated Wednesday in the second round of Sydney's Medibank International.

Djokovic routed French player Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-1, 6-2 and Richard Gasquet of France defeated countryman Mathieu, 6-4, 6-4.

The tournament is a tuneup for the Australian Open, which begins Monday. Djokovic will defend his title at the open.

Third-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who was runner-up in the open last year, topped Italy's Simone Bolelli 6-4, 6-1 in his Medibank second-round match.

The No. 4 seed, Argentine David Nalbandian, rolled over France's Michael Llodra, 6-1, 6-3.

Others winning second-round matches included Australian Lleyton Hewitt, Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, Jeremy Chardy of France and Mario Ancic of Croatia.