Hawk-eye incident overshadows Mauresmo win

MELBOURNE, Jan 17 (Reuters) Amelie Mauresmo crushed Olga Poutchkova 6-2 6-2 to reach the Australian Open third round today after a bizarre incident at the end of the first set brought into question the use of instant replay technology.

The second seed looked below her best and was a break down at 2-1 in the second set, but recovered to book her place in round three after 72 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

But an incident at set point in the opener reignited the debate about Hawk-eye, in use at the grand slam event for the first time, when Mauresmo challenged a call after a deep shot from the Russian teenager was called in.

Mauresmo challenged the call and the television graphic on the main showpiece court showed the ball had bounced beyond the baseline, but the caption below read 'In', leading chair umpire Kerrilyn Cramer to ask the players to replay the point.

The Frenchwoman, the first player to ever refer a call to Hawk-eye at Melbourne Park on Monday, duly wrapped up the set and match, but it again raised question marks about the validity of instant replay first used in a slam at last year's U.S. Open.

''That was a very strange one,'' Mauresmo told reporters.'' The image was very clear, there was a space between the impact and the line but it said 'In'. I will have to check into that,'' said the world number three.

The system has divided players and fans alike with Andy Roddick a confessed fan and Roger Federer dismissing the idea as 'nonsense'.

Mauresmo remains a supporter of the technology, which is only available on the Rod Laver Arena at this year's event, despite the farcical incident.

''I think it's good, entertaining - except in this case.'' Prior today's evening matches, 25 challenges had been made in men's matches on the showpiece court, 14 successfully while seven of 15 challenges were overturned in the women's.

Mauresmo broke three times in the first set against the 19-year-old, clinching the opener in 37 minutes before Poutchkova threatened a comeback with her early break in the second.

The Wimbledon champion broke back immediately, reeling off five games in a row to progress to round three where she will face the Czech Republic's world number 83 Eva Birnerova.

Reuters SAM DB1852