TENNIS Live

Australian Open - Last 16 - Women

Nationality	Player	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5
	S Williams	6	6	-	-	-
	N Vaidisova	3	4	-	-	-

Serena Williams

Nationality	USA
Date of Birth	26/09/1981
Height	1.75 m
Weight	61 kg
WTA Ranking	9
Player Info	Right-handed; Two-handed backhand

Nicole Vaidisova

Nationality	CZE
Date of Birth	23/04/1989
Height	1.83 m
Weight	63 kg
WTA Ranking	17
Player Info	Right-handed; Two-handed backhand

Live Comments

- - A fine win for the defending champion, who served superbly and dominated in the crucial games.
6-4 - Williams gets to 30-0 as she serves for the match...an ace sets up three match-points...she needs just one as Vaidisova finds the net! Serena is through!
5-4 - Vaidisova does all the hard work in a fine point at 40-30, only to pull her final forehand wide...deuce...and Williams makes her pay with a crucial break, sealed with a double-fault.
4-4 - Vaidisova wastes a precious break-point on the Williams serve with a weak backhand into the net...it is the sort of weakness Serena loves to pounce on...another sizzling return brings a second break-point - and this one she takes.
4-3 - More mistakes from Vaidisova...she pulls a potential forehand winner well long on game-point to give Williams deuce...although she does eventually battle back to hold.
4-2 - Vaidisova looks to have decided to go out swinging; she has a pop at all the Williams serves, but it is a tactic that brings only limited success as the American holds to 15.
3-2 - Two inopportune double-faults hand Serena three break-points...she needs just one as Vaidisova mis-hits a backhand from the baseline to break!
2-2 - A frightful return service game from Vaidisova hands Williams a quick hold and piles the pressure back on her own serve.
2-1 - Vaidisova holds, but she needs a way in on the Williams serve if she is to cause a real problem for the defending champion.
1-1 - Vaidisova holds at the start of the second set...she then gets to 30-30 on Serena's serve...only for Williams to slam the door shut.
0-0 - Both women take a toilet break between sets; Vaidisova has to get back to the level she showed at the start of the match.
6-3 - A third quick game in succession...Serena has the first set. Vaidisova looked good at the start of the match, but fizzled out as Serena turned the screw.
5-3 - Williams tightens the reigns with some good returns on the Vaidisova serve...she earns two break-points...and takes the first when her opponent finds the net with a forehand.
4-3 - Williams holds after two mistakes from Vaidisova blow a good chance at 30-30. Serena shrieks a "Come on!" as she walks back to her chair.
3-3 - Vaidisova holds to love...she has conceded just four points on serve in her first three games.
3-2 - Serena is yet to concede a set in a match against Vaidisova, who she beat at the semi-final stage of this event last year...
3-2 - Both players are having success on the opponent's serve...Vaidisova's drive-volley brings a break-point, although Serene battles her way through to hold.
2-2 - Serena fights back from 40-15 down to deuce, but Vaidisova responds well, holding when Williams's defensive lob drifts wide.
2-1 - Vaidisova gets to 0-30 on the Serena serve, although the American fights back to deuce...and eventually holds.
1-1 - Vaidisova responds with a good start of her own on serve; the feeling around is that this is going to be a tight match between the seventh and 12th seeds.
1-0 - A comfortable start for Serena, who holds her opening service game.
- - Hello; welcome to our coverage of the final match of the afternoon session on the Rod Laver Arena - Serena Williams v Nicole Vaidisova...