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The 38-year-old took to the court after a
90-minute delay but proved too good for world number 73 Ivashka
once the match began as he blasted 26 winners and converted
three of his six breakpoint chances to set up a meeting with
Grigor Dimitrov.
"I was ready for it. I'm playing well. It was a good first match
and I'm really happy to get through again," Wawrinka said. "I
have been working hard to get to this level. This year I'm
playing much better, but I need to win more matches.
"That's what I'm missing a bit, the confidence to win more
matches. But in general the level is great."
Joining the three-times Grand Slam champion in the next round
was Tomas Martin Etcheverry, who downed 18-year-old Luca Van
Assche 7-6(7) 6-3 to earn a meeting with Novak Djokovic.
Former world number one Andy Murray will take on Italian wild
card Fabio Fognini later in the evening as he continues his
preparations for the French Open starting later this month.
STEPHENS CRUISES
In the women's tournament, former U.S. Open champion Sloane
Stephens beat Nadia Podoroska 6-4 6-1 to open her Rome campaign
in style following her triumph in Saint Malo last week.
Up next for the American is two-times major champion Victoria
Azarenka.
Lesia Tsurenko overcame two-times champion Elina Svitolina 6-4
6-3 in an all-Ukrainian clash, the latter having returned to the
WTA tour at the Charleston Open last month following her
maternity break.
Colombia's Camila Osorio battled from 5-2 down in the last set
and saved three match points to defeat Varvara Gracheva 7-6(4)
1-6 7-6(4), while Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova beat Sara Errani 6-1
6-1 to set up a meeting with the top-ranked Iga Swiatek.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha
Sarkar)
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