Melbourne, January 21:

Martina Hingis has quickly quieted her doubters. The former world No 1, coming back from a three-year retirement, ripped through Iveta Benesovaher 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open. As good as Hingis was, fellow Swiss Roger Federer was untouchable in beating 30th-seeded Max Mirnyi 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

Top-ranked Federer had 48 winners, committed only 10 unforced errors and dropped only 13 points in 14 service games.

Seeking his seventh Grand Slam title and second here, he withstood Mirnyi’s blistering first serves, which reached 220 kmph, breaking him four times.

Second-seeded Kim Clijsters had a 6-1, 6-2 win over Italian Roberta Vinci in 44 minutes, showing no obvious signs of the hip and back problems. Third-seeded Amelie Mauresmo was leading 6-2 when Dutch Michaella Krajicek withdrew because of heat stress.

Also advancing were No 25 Sebastien Grosjean, who needed almost three hours to upset No 6 Guillermo Coria, No 21 Nicolas Kiefer, Paul-Henri Mathieu and Argentina’s Juan Ignacio Chela.

Advancing on the women’s side were No 7 Patty Schnyder, No 12 Anastasia Myskina, No 16 Nicole Vaidisova and No 15 Francesca Schiavone, who scored the tournament’s first double-bagel (6-0, 6-0) against Maria Sanchez Lorenzo.