MELBOURNE: Olympic champion Elena Dementieva improved her 2009 winning streak to 12 matches with 6-4, 6-1 win over Iveta Benesova.
The 27-year-old Dementieva reached the French Open and U.S. Open finals in 2004, beaten both times by fellow Russians, and has not returned to the championship of a Grand Slam tournament since.
Amelie Mauresmo, who won here and at Wimbledon in 2006, rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Britain’s Elena Baltacha. Mauresmo, a former No. 1 now seeded 20th after an injury-plagued 2008, advanced when Baltacha double-faulted on match point.
Serena Williams ignored pain and frustration to reach the third round of the Australian Open with a straight sets win over Gisela Dulko on Thursday.
The second-seeded Williams, hoping to extend a sequence of winning the Australian title every alternate year since 2003, had to fend off six set points in the ninth game of the second set to prevent the match going to a third. That game went to a dozen deuces before Williams broke to get back on serve.
Williams converted only four of her 18 break chances against the 23-year-old Argentine. Dulko was successful on both of hers.
Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano ousted No. 14 Patty Schnyder of Switzerland 6-3, 6-1.
Other women advancing included No. 13 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and No. 18 Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, a 6-0, 6-2 winner over Taiwan’s Chan Yung-jan.
Men’s No. 1 Rafael Nadal takes on Roko Karanusic and No. 4 Andy Murray has the last night match on the Rod Laver Arena.
No. 6 Gilles Simon of France won the opening match on center court at Melbourne Park, beating Australian Chris Guccione 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1, 6-2.
For the first time in six years, Amer Delic is still in contention after two rounds.
And to think, he thought he was heading home after he lost 6-0, 6-7 (3), 6-0 to Florian Mayer in his third qualifying match.
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