Britain's Andy Murray powered into the fourth round of the Australian Open with an emphatic 7-5 6-0 6-3 victory over Austrian Jurgen Melzer.

Left-hander Melzer adopted a bold approach and fired 14 winners in the first set, but had 18 unforced errors.

Murray, 21, remained calm, and having taken the opener, hit some superb shots to win the next in 25 minutes.

Fourth seed Murray maintained his fine form in the third to secure a last-16 match with 14th seed Fernando Verdasco.

"My concentration was very good," said Murray. "He can hit some unbelievable shots and make it very difficult.

"But once I got on top of him I kept my focus really well, especially in the second and the beginning of the third set, and I returned much better than against Marcel Granollers [in the second round].

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"I played really well and the support was awesome, and I hope that continues next week.

"When the ball is up around his shoulders he hits the ball very flat, so I used the sliced backhand very well at the start, it's important to change the rhythm."

Murray, seeking his first Grand Slam title, had only 10 unforced errors, including just two in the second set.

After giving up a break advantage in the first set with a loose shot into the net, the Scot slipped up a gear and never looked back.

He produced two break points with a backhand smash before the Austrian world number 32 netted a forehand to go one set down.

The second set was a rout with Murray scrambling to an unstoppable forehand winner and then dipping another under Melzer's racquet for the first break.

Murray then lobbed Melzer for three set points and went 2-0 up with a stylish forehand volley.

Melzer received a huge ovation when he rallied from 15-40 to hold while down 3-0 in the third set and end Murray's streak of 11 games.

Melzer broke as Murray served for the match at 5-1 and fended off double match point in the next game. But Murray easily held in the next, finishing things off with his eighth ace.

Murray has raced through his first three matches in a combined four hours and 15 minutes, thanks in part to a 45-minute first round match against Andrei Pavel, who retired with a bad back.

Murray is next in action on Monday when he plays Spaniard Verdasco, a man who he has beaten in all five of their previous meetings.

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