Serena leads US charge

Blake, ranked 28th, gave the US an unbeatable 2-0 lead when he outclassed Tommy Robredo (30th) 6-3, 6-0 in just 50 minutes. Williams, 21, needed only 61 minutes to wrap up the women’s singles against her 65th-ranked opponent at Burswood Dome.

Williams and Blake then teamed up to win the mixed doubles, beating the Spaniards 6-1, 6-4.
The victory gave the us, top seeds in the mixed teams tournament, a strong chance of reaching Saturday’s final of the $560,000 contest, as well as ensuring Spain – reigning competition champions – will not defend their title The US had already trounced Uzbekistan’s Irodatulya Ganova and Oleg Ogorodov 3-0.

It was Spain’s second loss in the contest – they went down 1-2 to Belgium’s Kim Clijsters and Xavier Malisse two days earlier.

Williams said that, despite her comfortable win, she was still far from her best. “I have a long way to go,” she said. “I will be working on my ground strokes and my serve. “I am practising very well, and I don’t want to peak to so soon.”

After an even start in the men’s singles, Blake blitzed his opponent, winning nine games in a row. “I would like every match in 2003 to be as good as that,” Blake said. “I played really great. Tommy might not have played his best tennis, and I had to take advantage of that.

“Now I have got a little bit of confidence.” Florida-based Williams began in impressive style, racing to a 3-0 lead in the opening set before repeated lapses of concentration – which led to 13 unforced errors by Williams – allowed Ruano Pascual to claw back to trail 4-3.

But Williams steadied and, helped by a controversial line call in her favour, snatched the set 6-3 in 28 minutes. Serving strongly and retrieving tenaciously, Williams wrapped up the second set despite Ruano Pascual’s spirited efforts.