Bouchard advances

MELBOURNE, Australia — Canadian Eugenie Bouchard is in the third round of the Australian Open for the first time in two years after defeating China’s Peng Shuai 7-6 (5), 6-2 on Wednesday.

Bouchard, who reached the semifinals of the Australian Open in 2014, finally closed it out after Peng saved three match points on the Canadian’s serve at 5-1 in the second set.

Her next opponent will be American Coco Vandeweghe, who defeated Pauline Parmentier of France in straight sets.

“Overall, I’m feeling better with each passing day,” said Bouchard.

Bouchard, from Westmount Que., won the first set when she froze Peng with a forehand smash after the Canadian charged the net.

Also, Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands won their first-round doubles match.

The duo beat Georgia’s Oksana Kalashnikova and Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0.

Earlier, Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil and Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic dropped their first-round doubles match to the hometown pairing of Matthew Barton and Matthew Ebden, 6-2, 6-4.

In other action, top-ranked Andy Murray won 6-3, 6-0, 6-2 against No. 156ranked Andrey Rublev and Roger Federer beat 20-year-old qualifier Noah Rubin 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (3).

The Associated Press Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard stretches for a forehand return to China’s Peng Shuai during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia. Bouchard won 7-6 (5), 6-2)