Williams sisters cruise into fourth round

Serena and Venus Williams and men's world number two Roger Federer cruised into the fourth round of the WTA and ATP hardcourt tournament here but second seed Dinara Safina crashed out.

Serena and Venus Williams and men's world number two Roger Federer cruised into the fourth round of the WTA and ATP hardcourt tournament here but second seed Dinara Safina crashed out.

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Reigning Australian Open champion Serena Williams defeated China’s Peng Shuai 7-5, 6-2 yesterday while US fifth seed Venus Williams, the reigning Wimbledon champion, beat Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld, 7-5, 6-3.

The sisters could meet in a semifinal at this nine million-dollar event, which saw its greatest upset when Australia’s 42nd-ranked Samantha Stosur stunned Russian second seed Safina 6-1, 6-4. “I’m really happy,” Stosur said, “I played really well. I executed exactly what I wanted to do.”

Safina could have become the women’s world number one by winning the title. “It’s very disappointing. That’s what I’m playing for,” Safina said. “I want to be there. Suddenly I go to the court and I don’t even fight for it. Champions, they don’t do this.”

Swiss star Federer, Miami champion in 2005 and 2006, advanced by beating Nicolas Kiefer 6-4, 6-1 to book a fourth-round match against Taylor Dent.