24 January,2009 04:41 PM IST | | AFP
Britain's Andy Murray produced some magical tennis as he hit his stride against Austria's Jurgen Melzer at the Australian Open today.
The fourth seed came up with every shot in the book in a bewitching display as the World No 32 collapsed from a close first set to lose 7-5, 6-0, 6-3 in just one hour and 40 minutes.
"I'm hoping I can keep this form up next week," Murray told the crowd.
"I'm going to have to play like this every match to have a chance, but I prepared as well as I could."
Murray's first match was cut short by Andrei Pavel's injury retirement and he showed occasional rustiness in his Round Two meeting with Marcel Granollers.
But after giving up a break advantage in the first set with a loose shot into the net, the Scot never looked back.
Murray produced a textbook backhand smash to go two break points up with Melzer serving to stay in the set, staring down the Austrian who then netted a forehand.
The second set was a rout with Murray scrambling to an unstoppable forehand winner and then dipping another under Melzer's racquet for the first break.
He lobbed the Austrian for three set points and went 2-0 up with a stylish forehand volley.
Murray faced break points late in the third set but held off and took the match with a strong service game, finishing it with an ace.
He has now beaten Melzer four times in the past year, including a tight five-setter at the US Open.
The Scot is seeking Britain's first Grand Slam title since Fred Perry's US Open win in 1936 and now faces in-form Spaniard Fernando Verdasco for a place in the quarter-finals.
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