Serena Williams Advances at Aussie Open

Sunday, January 21st 2007, 6:51 am

By: News On 6

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) _ Defending champion Amelie Mauresmo and No. 3 Svetlana Kuznetsova are gone. Serena Williams is still around, as are Roger Federer and Andy Roddick to set up what should be a compelling second week of tennis at the Australian Open.

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Williams, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, showed glimpses of her peak form in a 6-3, 6-2 win over 11th-seeded Jelena Jankovic on Sunday.

``It was absolutely sensational ... I just play some of my best tennis here,'' said Williams, who had 31 winners and dropped serve only once. ``I'm on the right track _ I like being a dangerous floatie.''

Second-seeded Mauresmo floated right out of the tournament, falling 6-4, 6-3 to 70th-ranked Lucie Safarova. Kuznetsova lost 6-4, 6-2 to Shahar Peer of Israel in the women's fourth round.

Peer made the quarterfinals at a major for the first time. Williams covered the court with ease against Jankovic, despite question marks over her fitness and the fact that Jankovic was in form, coming to Melbourne with a title at Auckland and a run to the final at last week's Sydney International.

Sixth-seeded Roddick beat No. 9 Mario Ancic 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 to set up a men's quarterfinal against old friend and housemate Mardy Fish.

``I felt like at the end of fourth set he had the momentum and was really being offensive in the points,'' Roddick said. ``I knew that in fifth set, win or lose, I had to turn the tables on the aggression. I was lucky to get through.''

While top-seeded Maria Sharapova had the day off and two top women were losing, Federer stayed on track for a 10th Grand Slam with a mostly routine 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 win over 14th-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia.

Federer was rarely threatened in his first night match of the tournament to upend Djokovic, who won the Adelaide International tournament two weeks ago and was one of the most improved players on the ATP Tour last year, moving to 16 from 83.

It was almost as if Federer was welcoming _ or warning _ Djokovic about his arrival to the big time.

Federer faced his first break point of the match _ and only second overall _ in the second set and netted an overhead smash to allow Djokovic, who was cheered on by dozens of flag-waving Serbian fans, to pull to within 4-3 and get back on serve.

But Federer broke again when it counted most _ using his patented backhand cross-court to stymie Djokovic when the Serbian was serving to stay in the second set. He finished off Djokovic with an ace on match point.

``I feel good physically, straight sets every time, a day off _ it couldn't be better,'' said Federer, who plays seventh-seeded Tommy Robredo in the quarterfinals.

Robredo beat Richard Gasquet of France 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.

The unseeded Fish made the last eight for the first time at a Grand Slam, beating No. 16 David Ferrer 6-1, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 7-5. Fish lived with Roddick and his family for a year in 1999 and said the pair were like brothers.

In a post-match interview with former No. 1 Jim Courier, Roddick joked that Fish could repay the rent by losing the quarterfinal.

``I have a hard time thinking he's going to agree with it, but heck, I might as well propose it,'' Roddick said.

Mauresmo was up a service break early before slumping against Safarova, a 19-year-old Czech player who had only won one match in six previous Grand Slam tournaments.

``It's amazing. I still can't believe it,'' Safarova said. ``I'm so happy. It's incredible.''

It was Safarova's first time on center court at the Australian Open and her first match against Mauresmo.

``I came out this morning and said, 'Wow this is a big court.' But I felt really comfortable here,'' Safarova said.

She next plays fellow Czech Nicole Vaidisova, who beat seventh-seeded Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-3.

In post-match comments, Safarova acknowledged her boyfriend _ 13th-seeded Tomas Berdych _ who beat Dmitry Tursunov 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 in a rain-delayed third-round match. Berdych and Safarova's matches finished at nearly the same time at Melbourne Park.

Mauresmo had her Grand Slam breakthrough last year in Melbourne, winning her first major title seven years after reaching her first final.

The 27-year-old Frenchwoman added the Wimbledon title and spent most of 2006 ranked No. 1.

She looked to be in good shape after an early break. But the left-handed Safarova, her right thigh heavily taped, quickly reversed roles and soon was hitting like the favorite.

Mauresmo, her confidence clearly waning, was shouting at herself as her mistakes piled up.

``It's always disappointing to go out of any tournament, even more in a Grand Slam,'' said Mauresmo. ``But I am going to go back on the court, go back to work, and that's obviously what I need.''

Kuznetsova, troubled recently by a respiratory problem, dropped serve five times against Peer. But she said her problem was concentration.

``I think it's mental,'' said Kuznetsova, the 2004 U.S. Open champion. ``I was thinking about different stuff _ not like, 'What am I going to eat for dinner' _ but about what's going on on the court. I wasn't 100 percent there in my mind.''

Peer spent time in her offseason fulfilling mandatory military service in the Israeli army.

``I feel like I'm on a soccer field,'' Peer said of the noisy crowd. ``It will be the first time for me to get to a quarterfinal in a Grand Slam, so I had nothing to lose.''