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Serena Has No Trouble

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By JOHN PYE The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 24, 2009

MELBOURNE, Australia - Serena Williams didn't have to deal with any unexpected distractions today in winning her third-round match at the Australian Open.

Williams, who won this title in 2003, 2005 and 2007, started play on Rod Laver Arena on Day 6 with a 6-1, 6-4 win over 41st-ranked Peng Shuai of China.

The second-seeded Williams, who gave herself a "D-minus" after her last match, won the last six games of the first set without much trouble, but was broken twice early in the second.

She rallied to level at 3-3, then took a tumble when Peng wrong-footed her with a forehand cross-court winner that set up break point.

The fall seemed to wake up Williams, and she shouted "Come on!" after whacking an ace two points later and holding serve.

"It was definitely a lot better than my second round. But I'm still trying to work on some things and hoping they'll come together," she said.

The nine-time major winner's victory was routine compared with the previous day at the first major of the season.

A half-naked streaker ran onto the court during Williams' doubles victory with sister Venus.

"Well, first I saw him jump over and then I noticed he didn't have underwear on," Serena Williams said. "I thought, 'OK, I must be seeing things.'"

Also Friday, ethnic violence flared after Novak Djokovic of Serbia beat Bosnian-born American Amer Delic, leaving a woman injured, three men charged with riotous behavior, 30 people ejected by police and broken chairs scattered over the lawn area at Melbourne Park.

Serena Williams next faces No. 13 Victoria Azarenka, who ousted 2006 Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo 6-4, 6-2.

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