TENNIS/Australian Open Championships:Serena Williams continued to make a mockery of such notions as lack of fitness and match play when she reached the last 16 of the Australian Open with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over Nadia Petrova of Russia, who is supposedly the fifth-best player in the world.
This is only the sixth tournament Williams has played since the beginning of last year, and she is ranked number 81.
In essence she is a part-time player, which must be doubly galling to all those she defeats, and in Petrova's case little short of insulting.
The Russian had only herself to blame. After she had dominated the American in the first set and led 5-3 in the second, all her innate mental frailties surfaced, leaving her to clutch at the usual excuses afterwards.
Petrova has many gifts and is a fine athlete, but faced with the sort of raw determination that Williams, for all her lack of conditioning, summoned up when facing defeat, the Russian crumbled with distressing ease.
For the first time since 1976 there are no American seeds in the women's competition. Lindsay Davenport is pregnant while Venus Williams has a wrist injury.
So Serena has been left to fly the Stars and Bars, though she might be hard pressed to find an Old Glory big enough to wrap around her if she were to win the title.
This was her first victory against a top-10 player since she defeated Davenport in the 2005 final here, her second Australian Open title.
"My God, that's a terrible stat," she laughed.
Deep inside her ample frame there still lurks the indomitable spirit of champion within, which is more than can be said for Petrova, despite the fact she won five WTA Tour titles last year, and is working hard to quell the demons that rise within her, notably at grand-slam level, when matters run against her.
The eyes turn wild, and the muttering begins, closely followed by such a sagging of the spirit that it is as well to avert the gaze.
Williams was almost out for the count midway through the second set, and there was a haunted, painful look in her own eyes - the look of a seven-times grand-slam title winner who knew that her body was not responding to her driving determination.
But then Petrova wavered and, smelling blood, Williams was on her with the snarl and savagery of a born winner. She reeled off six successive games, and although Petrova regrouped briefly in the third set, the damage was already done.
There is little doubt that should either of the Williams sisters commit herself to a full season - and for them that would mean playing 11 or 12 tournaments, including the grand-slam events - she could get back into the top 10.
All of last year Serena made the right noises in that direction, but it was like smoke in the wind.
It is all very frustrating, as women's tennis is all the poorer for being without the Williamses, yet their dilettante attitude does neither them nor their sport any favours.
"Disrespectful" is the word most used against them, both by officials and players.
Next up for Williams is the Serbian Jelena Jankovic, who reached the semi-finals of last year's US Open, her breakthrough tournament.
Jankovic has flair and a wide range of shots, and has been in excellent form this month, reaching the final of the Sydney event, where she lost to Kim Clijsters.
Whether she has the mental fortitude to halt Williams is debatable.
"If it goes to three sets I think Jelena will win," said Petrova.
Unfortunately she might not be the best judge.
Guardian Service
Australian Open Results
MEN'S SINGLES
THIRD ROUND:(1) Roger Federer (Swi) bt (25) Mikhail Youzhny (Rus) 6-3 6-3 7-6 (7-5), (14) Novak Djokovic (Ser) bt Danai Udomchoke (Tha) 6-3 6-4 5-7 6-1, (18) Richard Gasquet (Fra) bt Gael Monfils (Fra) 6-0 4-6 7-5 6-3, (7) Tommy Robredo (Spa) bt Samuel Querrey (USA) 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 6-1, Mardy Fish (USA) bt Wayne Arthurs (Aus) 3-0 ret, (16) David Ferrer (Spa) bt (20) Radek Stepanek (Cze) 6-7 (5-7) 4-6 6-0 6-4 6-3, (9) Mario Ancic (Cro) bt (22) Dominik Hrbaty (Svk) 6-3 6-2 6-1, (6) Andy Roddick (USA) bt (26) Marat Safin (Rus) 7-6 (7-2) 2-6 6-4 7-6 (7-2).
WOMEN'S SINGLES
THIRD ROUND:Serena Williams (USA) bt (5) Nadia Petrova (Rus) 1-6 7-5 6-3, (11) Jelena Jankovic (Ser) bt Victoria Azarenka (Blr) 6-3 6-4, (16) Shahar Peer (Isr) bt (20) Tatiana Golovin (Fra) 3-6 7-5 7-5, (3) Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus) bt (26) Maria Kirilenko (Rus) 6-1 6-4. (7) Elena Dementieva (Rus) bt Maria Elena Camerin (Ita) 6-1 6-3, (10) Nicole Vaidisova (Cze) bt (21) Katarina Srebotnik (Slo) 6-4 6-4, Lucie Safarova (Cze) bt Anastasia Yakimova (Blr) 6-3 ret, (2) Amelie Mauresmo (Fra) bt Eva Birnerova (Cze) 6-3 6-1.
