Ticking like a Swiss watch

Roger Federer and Serena Williams win in straight sets to advance to third round.

Roger Federer and Serena Williams,stress-free and loving the limelight,strolled into the third round of the US Open on Thursday as the pressure began to mount at the years last Grand Slam.

For Federer and Williams,it was business as usual at Flushing Meadows but not for Italys Sara Errani,the womens fourth seed. Crumbling under the weight of expectation,Errani crashed to a 6-3,6-1 loss to compatriot Flavia Pennetta and made the startling admission that she had choked under pressure.

I dont know why,but Im not enjoying going on the courts, she told reporters. And that is the worst thing a player can have.

Victoria Azarenka,last years runner-up,continued her love affair with the New York City hardcourts with a 6-3,6-1 win over Canadas Aleksandra Wozniak.

I would say its my husband,hardcourts, she said. Because we have been together for a long time we got really comfortable with each other.

The Swiss master,unflappable even as he struggles to add to his record collection of 17 Grand Slam singles titles,hardly raised a sweat as he brushed aside Argentinas Carlos Berlocq 6-3,6-2,6-1 on Thursday. For me it was pretty straightforward,to be honest, Federer said. Its one of those matches I expect myself to win if possible in straight sets and gain confidence in the process. All those things happened,so,yeah,Im pleased about it.

Williams was also unflustered even though the wind was blowing hard when she strolled onto the Arthur Ashe Stadium center court.

Story continues below this ad

Her match against Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan had originally been scheduled for Wednesday but was held over because of rain. Unfazed,she cruised to a 6-3,6-0 win then later teamed up with her sister Venus to win their first round doubles match. Im just trying to do the best I can, Williams said. Just always trying to get a little better.

Li NA avenges 2012 loss

Li Na looked like a Grand Slam champion,while Laura Robson looked like a promising teenager. The fifth-seeded Li avenged her third-round upset loss to the young Brit at last year8217;s edition,winning in straight sets on Friday. Li,the 2011 French Open champ,rallied from down a break in the second set for a 6-2,7-5 victory. Li was nervous after she noticed that her draw was a repeat from last year. A pep talk from coach Carlos Rodriguez eased her anxiety. After the talk I was feeling much,much better, she said. Because before I never try to share the feeling with the team.

Agnieszka Radwanska needed nearly two hours to slip past No. 32-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4,7-6 1. The third-seeded Pole faced 10 break points,but Pavlyuchenkova was able to convert only two,while Radwanska was 3 for 5.

Mirza,Paes advance

Indias Sania Mirza and Leander Paes made winning starts in their respective doubles events even as another veteran Mahesh Bhupathi bowed out with a first-round loss at the US Open here. Rohan Bopanna,along with Edouard Roger-Vasselin,also advanced with a 6-2,6-4 win over Sam Querrey and Bradley Klahn of the US. Sania and her Chinese partner cruised into the second round of the womens doubles event after they easily saw off the challenge of German Annika Beck and Puerto Rican Monica Puig in straight sets,winning 6-2,6-2 on Court 16 of the USTA National Tennis Center on Thursday. Paes paired up with Radek Stepanek and breezed through to the second round of the mens doubles event with a 6-4,7-6 7-4 win over the unseeded pair of Jarkko Nieminen and Dmitry Tursunov.