Serena Williams wasted little time in booking her spot in the last 16 of the Australian Open as she crushed Greta Arn.
Five-time champ claims still plenty of room for improvement
Five-time champion Serena Williams wasted little time in booking her spot in the last 16 of the Australian Open as she crushed Hungary's Greta Arn in straight sets.
The contest always appeared something of a mismatch and the American's superior firepower ensured it turned out to be the one-sided affair many had predicted, Williams needing under an hour to wrap up a 6-1 6-1 victory.
Things had started promisingly for Arn as the 32-year-old earned herself a break point on the Williams serve in the very first game of the contest.
But Williams saw off the danger and then ran away with the match as her opponent wilted on the Rod Laver Arena.
The American - playing only her second tournament since the US Open last September - broke twice in the first set and then three times in the second to set up a clash with Russian Ekaterina Makarova.
"I'm nowhere near where I want to be, but I'm trying to play through it," Williams commented afterwards. "I'm really rusty - I'm just trying to play through the rust."
Tearful Zvonareva departs
Makarova battled her way into the fourth round as she overcame compatriot, and seventh seed, Vera Zvonareva in straight sets.
The match hinged on a nail-biting first-set tie-break which the left-hander eventually clinched by nine points to seven.
That seemed to knock the stuffing out of Zvonareva who fell away badly in the second as Makarova completed a 7-6 (9-7) 6-1 success which left her opponent in tears.
There was another shock as China's Zheng Jie did for ninth seed Marion Bartoli in straight sets to join compatriot, and last year's beaten finalist, Li Na in the last 16.
Zheng made a fast start and maintained her consistency off both wings to emerge a 6-3 6-3 winner and will now face Italian Sara Errani who came from a set down to beat Sorana Cirstea 6-7 (6-8) 6-0 6-2.
