Britain's Greg Rusedski has won a place in the third round of the Australian Open tennis championships after his opponent pulled out with a knee injury.

The British number one was leading the match against Jonathan Stark 6-4, 6-4, 1-0 when his opponent decided not to continue.

Stark pulled out with a knee injury

The result means that Rusedski, who is ranked fifth in the championships, will play Australian Todd Woodbridge in the next round.

Rusedski, who beat Stark in a thrilling five-set encounter at Wimbledon last year, said after the match: "The first I knew was when the trainer came on and then it was all over.

"I am just pleased with the way I played - I took my opportunities and was very sharp."

"I knew it would be a difficult match because he is a big server, but I returned really well."

The BBC's Michael Peschardt reports from Sydney on how the heat has affected players (2'49")

The 24-year-old served 14 aces during the match, taking his two-match tally to 41.

Rusedski's path through the championships could be eased after the number three seed Michael Chang, his expected quarter-final opponent, crashed out in straights sets to Frenchman Guillaume Raoux.

And US Open champion Pat Rafter, who Rusedski could meet in the semi-finals in a repeat of last year's final in New York, scraped through against experienced campaigner Todd Martin.

All over Melbourne Park, players were wilting in the heat as temperatures soared.

The heat was too much for Ghirardi-Rubbi

Lea Ghirardi-Rubbi of France went down with sunstroke and the match was delayed as she received treatment.

She did resume, but eventually lost 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Title holder and world number one, Martina Hingis, of Switzerland was given a fright by Germany's Barbara Rittner, who won five games in a row after trailing 5-0.

But Hingis, who captured her first Grand Slam title in Australia last year, regained her composure to win 7-5 before winning the second set 6-1.

Martina Hingis will now play Anna Kournikova

The tournament's organisers were handed a dream promotion when Russian teenager Anna Kournikova won her match against Corina Morariu of the United States in straight sets.

She will now play Hingis in the third round, a repeat of last year's Wimbledon semi-final.

Former champion Mary Pierce, who did not drop a game in her opening match, continued her impressive start with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Spain's Cristina Torrens-Valero.

Holland's Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, seeded 11, was the latest seed to fall as she was beaten in straight sets by Henrieta Nagyova of Slovakia.

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