Tomas Berdych powers into Open fourth round

Melbourne: Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych downed Viktor Troicki in straight sets to power into the fourth round at the Australian Open on Friday.

Berdych, a semi-finalist in Melbourne last year, defeated the 54th-ranked Serb 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 and will next play either Australians Bernard Tomic or Sam Groth.

It was the fifth straight year that Berdych has reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open.

Troicki, the one-time world number 12, came into the Grand Slam as the winner of last week`s Sydney International.

Troicki is fighting his way back after serving a 12-month ban for failing to take a blood test at the Monte Carlo Masters in 2013.