Venus, Serena thrash rivals MELBOURNE – Top seeds Roger Federer and Serena Williams lived up to their star billing Tuesday by charging into the Australian Open second round, with Venus Williams and Novak Djokovic hot on their heels. The Swiss world No. 1 swept home after a sluggish start to eliminate Russian Igor Andreev in four sets while Serena wasted little energy in demolishing Pole Urszula Radwanska 6-2, 6-1. Also through was in-form Russian Nikolay Davydenko, who laid down the gauntlet by saying the Federer/Nadal dominance was over. Tenth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga powered on but eighth ranked Swede Robin Soderling was sent packing, the highest seed to fall so far. World No. 3 Djokovic, the 2008 champion, was tested in the first set by Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver before taking control and racing to a 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 win. On the women's side, eighth seed Jelena Jankovic and fellow Serb Ana Ivanovic also made the next round. Federer said it was a good opening test. “Tough match, I knew from the start it was not going be an easy one,” said the 15-time Grand Slam winner after winning 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2), 6-0. On a blustery but dry day, with organizers trying to clear a backlog of matches unable to finish due to rain Monday, sister Venus also made short work of her opponent, crushing Czech Lucie Safarova 6-2, 6-2. “I just wanted to stay focused and execute my game - a great way to start,” said the sixth seeded Venus, whose best effort in Melbourne was runner-up in 2003 to Serena. Jankovic also progressed with an easy 6-4, 6-0 win over Romania's Monica Niculescu, while fellow Serb and 20th seed Ana Ivanovic was another motoring through. Other women staying alive included Australian 13th seed Samantha Stosur, who struggled past Chinese qualifier Han Xinyun in three sets, French 11th seed Marion Bartoli and 26th seed Aravane Rezai, who beat India's Sania Mirza. Elsewhere No. 19 Nadia Petrova advanced. No. 18 Virginie Razzano lost 6-2, 6-3 to Russia's Ekaterina Makarova and American Vania King ousted No. 23 Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-5. Melanie Oudin, the 18-year-old American who made a surprising run to last year's US Open quarterfinals, also went out in the first round, beaten 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 by Alla Kudryavtseva of Russia. Oudin has won just one WTA Tour match since the US Open. Hometown favorite Lleyton Hewitt, still trying to win his first Australian Open after losing in the 2005 final to Marat Safin, opened with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 win over qualifier Ricardo Hocevar of Brazil. Davydenko, known as ‘Mr. Invisible' for his low public profile, was the first top 10 man into the second round Tuesday, dropping just four games in his 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 rout of Germany's Dieter Kindlmann. Davydenko is scheduled to meet Federer in the quarterfinals. Other top names going through were 10th seed Tsonga, who overcame Sergiy Stakhovsky in straight sets and French 12th seed Gael Monfils, who wrapped up his rain-delayed match against Australian Matthew Ebden 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Spanish ninth seed Fernando Verdasco was another staying in the hunt after a tough four-set encounter with Australian Carsten Ball. Americans James Blake and John Isner also reached the second round, but No. 25 Sam Querrey lost to German veteran Rainer Schuettler. Blake had a 7-5, 7-5, 6-2 win over Frenchman Arnaud Clement, while Isner held off Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 5-7, 6-4. Fabrice Santoro extended his Grand Slam career into a fourth decade, but he lasted only one match - a 7-5, 7-5, 6-3 loss to 14th-seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia. Richard Gasquet, competing in his third tournament since a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport allowed him to return to playing, was beaten by 20th-seeded Mikhail Youzhny 6-7 (9), 4-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4), 6-4 in a night match lasting 4 hours, 53 minutes. American Donald Young advanced with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 win over Christophe Rochus of Belgium.
