Serena into Australian Open fourth round

MELBOURNE: Defending champion Serena Williams blitzed into the fourth round of the Australian Open with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro on Saturday.

The top seed will next play Australian 13th seed Samantha Stosur, who earlier beat Italian Alberta Brianti 6-4, 6-1.

It was far from plain sailing for Williams despite the scoreline, with the plucky Spaniard recovering from a disastrous start to push the top seed for much of the second set.

Williams came out with all guns blazing and raced to a 5-0 lead in only 15 minutes, Suarez Navarro winning just five points in the first five games.

She only seemed to wake up in the sixth game, which went for an amazing 23 minutes with 13 deuces, Williams clinching the first set on her eighth opportunity.

Suarez Navarro put Williams' sister Venus out in the second round last year and she took the same game plan in against Serena, blunting the American's power with precise placement and acute angles.

Williams was made to run all over the court, but she showed her superb athleticism as she chased down many of the Spaniard's best shots and returned them with interest.

Williams broke Suarez Navarro in the third game of the second set and was never in any trouble on her own serve, holding comfortably to 5-3, when she seized on a loose game by the Spaniard to break again and take the match.

Her match with Stosur should create plenty of interest, with the Australian number one beating Williams the last time they met.

Williams then added fuel to the fire by accusing Stosur of being a good "framer", implying many of her winning shots of being miss hits.

"I guess she thought I hit too many frames or shanks during that match," Stosur said.

"Maybe I hit a couple, but I hit with a bit of spin. Maybe she wasn't expecting so many balls to drop in because of the spin."

TOI

Federer eases into fourth round of Australian Open

MELBOURNE: World number one Roger Federer declared himself physically fine and mentally fresh after strolling into the fourth round of the Australian Open at the expense of Albert Montanes Saturday.

The 15-time Grand Slam champion brushed aside the 31st-seeded Spaniard, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and had few concerns in the one hour 48 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

Such was Federer's domination that Montanes did not get one break point on the Swiss star's service.

Federer is expected to face a tougher test in the round of 16 on Monday against either Australian two-time Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt or former finalist and unseeded Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, who play later Saturday.

"I've come through a difficult draw, I feel physically fine and mentally fresh, but the opponents will get tougher from here," Federer said.

The top seed was never threatened by baseliner Montanes and broke the Spaniard's service three times.

He broke Montanes in the fourth game of the opening set, in the ninth game of the second set and in the opening game of the final set.

Montanes only won 11 points in the first seven games as Federer rolled through the gears in his most consummate performance of the tournament after dropping a set against Russian Igor Andreev in his opening match.

That was the first time Federer had lost a set in a first round Grand Slam match since the 2003 US Open.

Federer hit a total of 36 winners in the three sets, but he made a total of 43 unforced errors as he attempted to take the game to the Spaniard.

The victory improved Federer's Australian Open record to 50-7, which makes him only second to Swede Stefan Edberg's 56-10 for most match wins at the Australian Open in the Open Era.

Federer leads Hewitt 16-7 and has won their last 14 encounters, while he leads 2006 finalist Baghdatis 6-0.

TOI

Pak end India's title defence at Under-19 World Cup

STAFF WRITER 12:12 HRS IST

Lincoln (New Zealand), Jan 23 (PTI) Defending champions India crumbled under pressure in the battle of sub-continental rivals as Pakistan sent them packing with a two-wicket triumph in a thrilling rain-hit Super League quarterfinal of the ICC Under-19 cricket World Cup here today.

Pakistan opted to bowl first in the match, which became a 23-overs-a-side affair due to overnight rain, and skittled out India for a paltry 114 for nine.

In reply, Pakistan huffed and puffed their way to the target in 22.3 overs thanks to some valuable late order contributions to keep their unbeaten run at the event intact.

The Pakistani top order collapsed and the team score read 16 for three in just under seven overs.

However, Ahsan Ali brought them back into the match with a 45-ball 30 before being run out by Jaydev Unadkat.

Wickets tumbled at regular intervals but Pakistan kept themselves in the hunt with some brisk scoring.

Paes-Dlouhy in pre-quarters of Australian Open

STAFF WRITER 12:54 HRS IST

Melbourne, Jan 23 (PTI) Leander Paes remained on course for his second successive Grand Slam title after reaching the men's doubles pre-quarterfinals of the Australian Open with partner Lukas Dlouhy here today.

The third seeded Indo-Czech pair quelled the challenge of Lucas Arnold of Argentina and Romanian Horia Tecau 7-5 6-3 in the second round at Melbourne Park.

They will now fight it out with Americans John Isner and Sam Querrey, who got the better of French Julien Benneteau and Steve Darcis of Belgium 6-4 6-0 in their second round.

Paes had won the US Open in October last year along with Dlouhy after defeating compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles.

Paes is the lone Indian survivor in the men's doubles as the pairs of Somdev Devvarman-Prakash Amritraj, Bhupathi-Max Mairnyi and Rohan Bopanna-Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi have already lost in the early stages.