HARARE - Zimbabwean tennis ace Cara Black and her Australian partner Anastasia Rodionova are through to the second round of the Australian Open.

The pair yesterday tamed the Australian doubles duo of Monique Adamckaz and Stephanie Bengson 6-3, 6-4 at Melbourne Park.

Black and Rodionova were in control in the first set winning 6-3 in 39 minutes before holding off a strong Australian comeback in the second set, to win it 6-4 in 44 minutes.

The first round victory ensures the wild card entry of Black and Rodionova stay on course to emulating the form that saw them lift the ASB Classic two weeks back.

Black and Radionova will now line up against Shuko Aoyama from Japan and Irina Falconi of the United States in the second round.

The unseeded pairing of Aoyama and Falconi shocked number 11 seeds Vania King of the United States and Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan in a marathon first round 6-3,5-7 and 7 (7) - 6 (2).

Black is a previous winner of the Australian Open, completing that task in 2007 with then partner Liezel Huber.

The 33-year-old from Harare is making a comeback to competitive tennis since giving birth last year. - Sports Writer