Henin breezes through

Top seed Justine Henin powered into the last 16 of the US Open as she opened third-round play at Arthur Ashe Stadium with an easy victory over Russian qualifier Ekaterina Makarova.

The three-time reigning French Open champion from Belgium clinically dispatched Makarova in just 50 minutes in a resounding 6-0 6-2 win.

Henin wrapped up the first set in 18 minutes against a clearly nervous Makarova, who had upset Ai Sugiyama in the second round.

By the time the Russian managed to gain a little composure it was too late to halt the Henin charge. Makarova got a big cheer in the fourth game of the second set when she sent a forehand down the line that was too good for Henin and delivered her first game of the match at 3-1.

She managed to hold her serve again but not a third time. Makarova went 0-40 down and showed spirit to get back to deuce but Henin was not going to be denied, securing victory on a double fault.

“If this girl was third round it means she must be playing well,” Henin said of what looked like a mismatch. “I just try to do my best no matter who I play.

“I take whatever I can take, just go step by step, try to build my confidence.

“A big part of my success is that I’ve always been very focused on myself in the last few years, don’t look to much on the other side of the net.”

Henin will now face 15th seed Dinara Safina in the fourth round following the Russian’s 6-4 6-3 win over unseeded American Ahsha Rolle.

“I’m going to have a good test in two days. It’s the way you build a lot good things. Just go match after match, so we’ll see.

“I’m just feeling happy to be on the court.

“I’m healthy, almost 100% except for my shoulder.

“It’s great, I love to play, I love being out there. That’s the way I’m feeling good now. It’s pretty good news.”

Australian Open champion and eighth seed Serena Williams, a two-time winner here, overcame number 27 seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia in the final day match on Ashe, needing a tie-breaker to get past the winning post in a 6-4 7-6 (7-4) victory.

Williams, who looked shaky at times in her second-round win over Italian Maria Elena Camerin, will play 10th-seeded Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli who came from behind to beat Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 4-6 6-2 6-3.

French qualifier Alize Cornet took the opening set from third seed Jelena Jankovic but could not capitalise on that good platform as the Serbian roared back to win 4-6 6-2 6-3.

Jankovic, a semi-finalist here in 2006, now plays Sybille Bammer of Austria, who upset the seedings with a 6-1 6-2 victory over Elena Dementieva of Russia.

Ana Ivanovic was impressive in getting past Vera Dushevina of Russia, winning 6-1 6-3 to set up a fourth-round meeting with the winner of the Venus Williams-Bondarenko night match.