World No.1 and defending champion Serena Williams set up an tempting fourth round clash with Australia’s Samantha Stosur as older sister Venus and title hopeful Victoria Azarenka and Vera Zvonareva also ambitious in the last 16 of the Australian Open on Saturday.
Serena, a four-time winner at Melbourne Park, was in journey control against the 32nd Seed Carla Suarez Navarro, who she sent wadding Spaniard 6-0 6-3.
The fourth round argument Monday is sure to make great interest, with Stosur beat world number one, last time they met. Williams then added fuel to the fire by reproachful Stosur to be a good “Frame”, which means many of her winning shots, will miss hits.
But in a strange wind, fell Serena play each other while she was on set. Finally, after a marathon sixth game which lasted 23 minutes and restricted 13 deuces, nine forced errors and missed six break point opportunities, the 11-time Grand Slam champion, claimed the first set.
“It was definitely the toughest set of 6- 0 especially at the end, because she really fought for it. I would not lose this game, “Serena said afterwards.
Spaniard put more of a move violently in the second, but the top seed was too strong to move on to the round of 16 in 81 minutes. Venus had hoped for an all-Williams semifinal live later in the day after a solid 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) victory over Australia’s Casey Dellacqua.
Azarenka won his third “bagel” of the tournament when she crushed Italian veteran Tathiana Garbin 6-0 6-2.
World No.7, who had 6-0 sets on each of her opening two rounds and lost only eight games in his three matches to date, was very remarkable, as she looks to get better his quarter-final manifestation at Melbourne Park last year.
Azarenka now meets ninth seed Zvonareva, who also had a relaxed win on Saturday.
A semi-final last year, Zvonareva reached the round of 16 with 6-1, 7-5 wins over Argentine Gisela Dulko, who had ousted 20th Seed Ana Ivanovic in the second round.
