'Rusty' Williams battles into fourth round
Williams had to dig deep in the second set to beat Peng
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Saturday, 24, Jan 2009 10:52
Serena Williams has qualified for the fourth round of the Australian Open but was forced to work hard for her win by China's Shuai Peng.
Williams cruised through the first set but had her serve broken twice before going on to take the second set. The American eventually won the match 6-1 6-4.
The scoreline flattered the 27-year-old and she will have to improve in her next match against 13th seed Victoria Azarenka if she is to avoid an early exit like her sister Venus.
Williams looked like progressing with ease after the first set but Peng broke in the first game of the second set. The Chinese held serve for an unlikely 3-1 lead but Williams began to work her way back.
Although Peng broke Williams once more the second seed won five of the next six games to progress to the last 16 of the tournament.
Afterwards Williams said she was still trying to find her best form. The three-time Australian Open champion said: "I'm feeling a little rusty, for whatever reason. I'm hoping my next round I'll be a little better."
She will face Azarenka following her 6-4 6-2 win over 20th seed Amelie Mauresmo of France.
Carla Suarez Navarro, conqueror of Venus Williams in the second round, continued her impressive form with a 6-1 6-3 victory against fellow unseeded Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.
Suarez Navarro will now take on another Spaniard, Anabel Medina Garrigues, in the last 16.
Russian eighth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova managed to scrape through a tough match against Ukrainian 31st seed Alona Bondarenko 7-6 (9/7) 6-4 to set up a fourth round match against China's Jie Zheng.