Update2  -  Bloomberg

Two-time champion Serena Williams rallied from a set down to beat fifth-seeded Nadia Petrova and reach the fourth round of the Australian Open in Melbourne.

World No. 81 Williams, ranked 75 places below her opponent, was 4-5 down in the second set with Petrova serving for the match and won the next three games before completing a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory in two hours, five minutes.

Williams, who only played four tournaments in an injury- plagued 2006 season, is seeking her first Grand Slam tennis title in two years since winning her eighth major at Melbourne Park. She’s beaten Petrova in five straight Grand Slam matches.

“We seem to play each other a lot in Grand Slams,'’ the 25-year-old American said in a courtside interview. “She played awesome and we provided the fans with a great match.'’

After losing the first set in 29 minutes, Williams took a 3-0 lead in the second before Petrova won five straight games. Serving for the match, the Russian handed Williams a break with a forehand error and lost the next two games. A backhand winner put Williams 4-2 up and she struck her ninth and 10th aces for a 5-2 lead before serving out the match.

“Serena raised her game and I started to be a little bit more careful on the court,'’ said Petrova, who won five more points in the match than Williams. “She came up with some unbelievable returns.'’

Disruptions

The weather disrupted play for the fourth straight day at the season-opening Grand Slam as rain halted matches on outside courts soon after they begun. Play on the two main show courts continued under closed roofs.

Third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, a former U.S. Open winner, beat fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko 6-1, 6-4 to reach the fourth round for the third straight year.

In the only other completed match, 14th-seeded Serb Novak Djokovic beat Thailand’s Danai Udomchoke 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-1. They high-fived midway through the match following a point that included smashes, drop shots, volleys and a baseline retrieval from Udomchoke with his back to the net.

Serbian 11th-seed Jelena Jankovic, who reached the U.S. Open semifinals in September, and Elena Dementieva of Russia are also in action. Jankovic was tied at 2-2 in the first set with Victoria Azarenka of Belarus when rain stopped their match. The winner will face Williams in the last 16.

Also today, defending champion Amelie Mauresmo of France faces Czech Eva Birnerova and third-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova challenges countrywoman Maria Kirilenko, who hasn’t got past the third round of a major in 12 tries.

Andy Roddick’s matchup with 2005 champion Marat Safin of Russia highlights men’s play. Safin tied their career head-to- head at 3-3 in September’s Davis Cup semifinal.

Top-ranked Roger Federer of Switzerland will try for a 32nd straight win when he faces U.S. Open semifinalist Mikhail Youzhny of Russia. Richard Gasquet, the 18th seed, tackles French compatriot and fellow 20-year-old Gael Monfils.

Local favorite Wayne Arthurs, at 35 the oldest player remaining in the singles events, plays American Mardy Fish in a battle of big servers. U.S. wild-card Sam Querrey will seek a third straight upset when he meets seventh-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo.

Source: Bloomberg - By Dan Baynes