Williams Sisters On Course For Semi-Final Showdown
23 January 2010
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Serena Williams’ defence of her Australian Open crown remained on course today as she stormed into the third round with a comprehensive 6-0 6-3 win over Carla Suarez-Navarro.
Revenge was on the cards for Serena on the Rod Laver court this afternoon as she avenged her sister Venus so fell to the Spaniard in a shock loss in the second round last year.
But there was to be no repeat as Serena, still with her leg heavily strapped, as she needed just fifteen minutes to open up a 5-0 lead.
But she needed eight chances in the next game to take the set 6-0. Despite Navarro’s best efforts she was broken in the third game of the second set and the match was over.
Williams will now face Australian number one Sam Stosur who delighted the home crowd with a straight sets win over Alberta Brianti 6-4 6-1.
Stosur should be the first real test for Williams this Australian Open with the Australian coming out on top when they met last year.
Venus Williams is also through to the fourth round with a straight sets win over Aussie Casey Dellacqua.
Despite the backing of the crowd Dellacqua had no answer for Williams’ play and lost the opening set 6-1 in just thirty eight minutes.
And if Venus thought she was in for a similar second set then she was gravely mistaken as her opponent, spurred on by the crowd, battled back after being broken early.
Dellacqua got a break of her own to level the set at 4-4, eventually sending the set into a tie break. And while she fought hard in that tie break Williams’ experience was too much and the sixth seed wrapped up victory 6-1 7-6 (7-4).
There were straight sets wins for Victoria Azarenka, overcoming Garbin 6-0 6-2, and Vera Zvonareva, beating Dulko 6-1 7-5, they will now face each other in the next.
There was also a straight sets win for Caroline Wozniacki as she outclassed Shahar Peer 6-4 6-0 to set up a clash with Li Na who overcame Daniela Hantuchova 7-5 3-6 6-2
The fourth round gets underway tomorrow and this is the draw:
Henin v Wickmayer
Petrova v Kuznetsova
Bondarenko v Zheng
Kirilenko v Safina
S Williams v Stosur
Zvonareva v Azarenka
Wozniacki v Li
Schiavone v V Williams
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