Serena gains revenge on Makarova

Fourth seed Serena Williams thrashed Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets to move into the fourth round of the US Open tonight – and gain revenge for her Australian Open elimination.

Makarova ended Williams’ challenge in Melbourne at the start of the year, with the American mustering just five games in a humiliating defeat at the season’s opening grand slam event.

She has had to wait seven months to face her again but made no mistake when the opportunity arose with a dominant display on Arthur Ashe stadium.

The first set was keenly contested but Williams cruised through the second to win 6-4 6-0 in one hour and 20 minutes.

Wimbledon and Olympic champion Williams was the more pro-active player early on but could not make the breakthrough as Makarova held on to her serve despite constant pressure from her opponent.

But the Russian was finally broken when trying to stay in the set at 4-5 and from there on in, it was one-way traffic.

Sensing her chance of another upset may have gone, Makarova wilted and Williams was not in the mood to let her off, powering through the second set to advance to a meeting with Maria Kirilenko or Andrea Hlavackova.

She admitted her performance today was a marked improvement on that against Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in round two.

Williams said: “It was better today. I played such a good opponent, she beat me in Australia, so I knew I needed to play better going into today and I definitely felt I played better.

“Mentally I am just going with the flow, this is my home crowd and it’s hard not to be excited to play here, being an American and playing in New York.”

Williams will be 31 next month but she dismissed the notion of joining fellow veterans Kim Clijsters and Andy Roddick in retiring after Flushing Meadows.

“I am nowhere near close to retiring,” she said.

“I love this sport way too much and now Andy and Kim are done I need to stay out here. I am not going anywhere.”