World number four Stanislas Wawrinka was relieved of his duties after Dmitry Tursunov retired an hour and 33 minutes into their round one affair.

Tursunov Retires Due To Groin

Wawrinka was ahead 7-6(2), 6-3 when Tursunov resigned to his groin injury after the first point in the third set. Tursunov, who hadn't competed in a Grand Slam since the 2014 US Open, was showing peak form early on. He had a chance to go up a set at 6-5 in the opener, but Wawrinka came roaring back, saving a break point and snatching the breaker 7-2.

Tursunov Fails To Recover

After that, Tursunov never recovered. Wawrinka went up 3-0 in the second set when a trainer was called on court for Tursunov. After the examiner was cleared, Tursunov got on the scoreboard in a nine minute fourth game, but it was taking it's toll. Wawrinka was battling into every Tursunov service game taking almost 43 percent of all return points in the second set. Tursunov managed a mere 3 of 23 return points. Wawrinka served two aces in the ninth game to clinch the 40 minute second set.

Tursunov would play the first point of the third set before succumbing to his groin injury. The former world number 20 only played in one tour level event last year in Moscow, came to Melbourne Park on a protected ranking. Serving 63 percent first serves for the match, the Russian won 62% on first serves, and 61 percent on second serves. Tursunov didn't convert his only break point of the match, and hit 10 winners to 23 errors.

Wawrinka is now into his 11th straight second round in Melbourne. The Lausanne native hit 14 aces, winning 89 percent of points on first serve. The Swiss number two kept Tursunov rattled hitting 36 winners off both wings. Even after a rough first set Wawrinka was usually in his opponents service games winning almost 40 percent of all return points. 

With the win Wawrinka improves to a 29-9 event record, having won his first major title in Melbourne Park in 2014. The Swiss is reeling off his title run in Chennai in the first week of the season, and is just three victories away from the 400-wins milestone.

Next For Stan

The Swiss number two will go on to face former world number eight Radek Stepanek, who needed three hours and 16 minutes to overcome Tatsuma Ito.  Wawrinka and Stepanek have faced off eight times taking four apiece with Wawrinka claiming their most recent meeting in the second round of Tokyo last year.