BRISBANE — Serena Williams credited a more subdued lifestyle Tuesday for the current form which has put her on track to succeed fellow-American Chris Evert as the oldest world one in women's tennis. Serena, who recorded a serve of 200kph during a second-round 6-2, 6-2 win over France's Alize Cornet at the Brisbane International, is currently ranked third in the world. However, the 31-year-old is regarded as the pre-eminent woman player at the moment after winning the Wimbledon, US and Olympic titles last year. Evert was aged 30 years 11 months when she was number one in 1985. “I'm really boring now,” Serena told reporters. “I used to be fun. For a fun time, call Serena. Now for a fun time, do not call me. I don't know what happened to me. I think I just got older and I realized I can't be that fun girl for the rest of my life.” World No. 2 Maria Sharapova's preparations for the Australian Open starting in two weeks' time were interrupted by the collarbone injury which led to her pulling out of an exhibition match against Caroline Wozniacki at the end of last year. Sharapova withdrew from her second-round match against Australian Jarmila Gajdosova and said she had been just practising ground strokes because of the injury. In other matches, world No. 6 Sara Errani was defeated 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 by Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova, while No. 8 Petra Kvitovia was beaten 6-4, 7-5 by Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. On the men's side, local qualifier John Millman, ranked No. 199, advanced to a second-round match with Olympic and US Open champion Andy Murray by beating Japan's Tatsuma Ito 6-4, 6-1. Seventh-seeded Jurgen Melzer of Austria downed Denis Kudla of the US 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, while No. 8 Martin Klizan of Slovakia lost 6-1, 6-2 to Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan. Spain's Tommy Robredo advanced 6-4, 7-6 (4) over American Ryan Harrison and Alejandro Falla of Colombia set up a second-round match with No. 3-seeded Gilles Simon with a 6-1, 7-6 (8) win over Jesse Levine. Radwanska advances In New Zealand, world No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland swept past former champion Greta Arn 6-2, 6-2 Tuesday to reach the second round of the ASB Classic. Second-seeded Julia Goerges of Germany beat Latvian qualifier Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 6-4 in the last match of the first round. Earlier, sixth-seeded Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan beat Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino of Spain 6-3, 6-2. Fifth-seeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania became the third seed to exit the tournament when she retired in the second set of her match against Britain's Heather Watson, who took the first set 6-3. Eighth-seeded Mona Barthel of Germany beat American qualifier Grace Min 6-1, 6-3 and unseeded New Zealander Marina Erakovic beat Stephanie Dubois of Canada 6-2 6-1. — Agencies
