Serena reaches quarterfinals of Nasdaq-100
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-03-30 09:11

Serena Williams made her latest fashion statement and offered some eye-popping tennis as well Monday, beating 16-year-old Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals of the Nasdaq-100 Open.

Serena Williams of the United States hits a backhand against Maria Sharapova of Russia during their fourth round match at the Nasdaq-100 Open in Key Biscayne, Florida, March 29, 2004. Williams won the match 6-4 6-3. [Reuters]

Playing her third match following an eight-month layoff, Williams overpowered a dangerous opponent. She smacked nine aces and 26 winners, including one backhand that sounded as though it had been struck with a baseball bat.

Williams also created a buzz with her newest outfit. Gone was the much-discussed corset dress of the earlier rounds, replaced by a revealing two-piece outfit with a fitted tank top, bare midriff and hot pants. She wore chandelier earrings and navel jewelry.

Accenting the bold ensemble were some of the game's most ferocious strokes. After a slow start, the top-seeded Williams began to blast away, and Sharapova could only watch and shake her head as shots whizzed past.

Williams' quarterfinal opponent will be fellow American Jill Craybas, who rallied to upset No. 9 Paola Suarez 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2). No. 29 Karolina Sprem eliminated No. 10 Svetlana Kuznetsova 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.

In men's third-round play, Vince Spadea shrugged off his failure to make the U.S. Davis Cup team and beat Radek Stepanek 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (3). U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe picked Mardy Fish for the squad Monday over Spadea, who won the first tournament title of his career this month at Scottsdale, Ariz.

Also advancing were 19th-seeded Tommy Robredo and No. 20 Agustin Calleri.

Sharapova has already won two tournament titles and climbed to 23rd in the rankings, but the young Russian was unable to counter Williams' power. Three aces gave Williams the final game of the first set, and she won eight of the next nine points to take charge of the second set.

The victory was Williams' 15th in a row at Key Biscayne, where she has won the title the past two years. The tournament is her first since undergoing knee surgery after winning Wimbledon (news - web sites) in July.

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