The jostle for pole position in the bottom half of the men's draw got into full swing on a baking second day of the Australian Open here Tuesday.

Second seed Rafael Nadal, drawn to face world number one Roger Federer in this year's final, didn't concede a break point as he put away 90th-ranked American Robert Kendrick 7-6 (8/6), 6-3, 6-2 in 2hr 7min.

They played with the centre court stadium roof closed because of the enforcement of the tournament's extreme heat rule.

Nadal was taken to five sets in his only previous meeting with Kendrick in the second round on grass at last year's Wimbledon, but the Spanish left-hander had no problems this time.

"Yeah, (the court) is a little bit

slower, so that's a little bit easier for me because with the serve I have more chances always on the return," he said.

"But I didn't play my best match. I played a serious match today, so that's enough."

American James Blake and Argentina's David Nalbandian won their mental battles against their opponents and the fierce elements to advance to the second round.

Fifth seed Blake overcame former Australian finalist Carlos Moya for the second time in four days for a big psychological victory.

Blake followed up his Sydney International title win over the experienced Spaniard last Saturday with a 7-6 (10/8), 6-2, 6-4 win in 1hour 50 minutes on the enclosed Vodafone Arena.

Blake rated the 41st-ranked Moya the dangerous unseeded floater in the men's draw, but he had few problems breaking his serve three times and fighting off one break point against him for a comprehensive win.

"I don't want to see him across

the net. He's a great player. It's tough. I really wish that would have been a second-week match because he's playing well enough," Blake said.

"Definitely he's one of the toughest if not the toughest floater in the draw."

Blake, who has yet to progress past the fourth round in five previous attempts at the Australian Open, will now face either Australian Peter Luczak or American Alex Kuznetsov.

Eighth seed Nalbandian said he disguised how he was feeling from his melting Serbian opponent Jank Tipsarevic before fighting back from two sets and a break down to lead 6-7 (5/7) 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-0, 2-1 at the time of Tipsarevic's heat-induced retirement.

"You just try to keep energy. That's the most important thing. Then after it's more like a mind game," Nalbandian said.

"I mean, it's everything in the mind. I was very tired as well, but I didn't show to him how I feel it."

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Andy Murray missed a chance to inflict a rare straights sets whitewash as he cruised effortlessly into the second round.

The top-ranked British player, seeded 15, crushed hapless Spaniard Alberto Martin, 6-0, 6-0, 61 in just 70 minutes.

Murray smacked his racquet in irritation when he missed a chance of becoming the first player to win all sets to love at the Australian Open in over 30 years.

The 19-year-old Scot broke Martin's service eight times and the Spaniard brought an ironic cheer from the crowd when he finally held service in the penultimate game of the match.

Russian third seed Nikolay Davydenko strolled to a straight sets victory over Argentine Sergio Roitman to set up a match with Gilles Muller of Luxembourg.