Serena's serves strong in sweep

Andy Roddick had an easy time over Guillermo Canas.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Serena Williams served notice that her shaky knee is holding up just fine, sweeping past Patty Schnyder 6-4, 6-2 Sunday to reach the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open.
Once again dressed in basic black, the two-time Open champion had little trouble in winning her fourth straight match at Flushing Meadows. Williams won this one with her serving, finishing with 12 aces to just one double fault.
Williams was forced to pull out of last month's Olympics because of pain in her left knee. She had surgery on it in August 2003, and missed 81/2 months while recovering.
Knee update
In fact, she said a few doctors advised her to skip this tournament.
"My knee is doing pretty good right now. I haven't had any worries," she said. "I'm just excited to be here because I wasn't supposed to come."
Williams advanced to yet another matchup with Jennifer Capriati, who beat Ai Sugiyama 7-5, 6-2.
Williams is 10-6 lifetime against Capriati, including 3-3 in Grand Slam events. Capriati defeated her in the French Open quarters this year, then lost to Williams in the Wimbledon quarters.
"I like playing Jennifer a lot, I really do," Williams said. "We always play each other. We really know each other's games."
Andy Roddick had an easy time in a 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Guillermo Canas. His serving was even more impressive than Williams' performance -- 21 aces, zero double faults.
"I thought I had a game plan, I executed it," Roddick said. "I took it to him."
Others
Tommy Haas also reached the fourth round, defeating Ricardo Mello 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. No. 18 Tommy Robredo beat Alexander Peya 6-3, 6-3, 6-2, No. 28 Joachim Johansson downed Stefan Koubek 6-7 (2), 7-6 (1), 6-1, 6-3, Michael Llodra topped Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 and Tomas Berdych beat Mikhail Youzhny 2-6, 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.
Sixth-seeded Elena Dementieva defeated No. 10 Vera Zvonareva 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a matchup of Russians. Zvonareva cried between points, hit herself in the foot with her racket and berated herself.
"You wouldn't see any fourth-round matches of a Grand Slam not emotional," she said. "When I'm comfortable with my tennis, when I know what I'm doing on the court and when I play for every ball, then I don't get like this."
Among other top players in action as the first week of the tournament came to an end: Lleyton Hewitt and Amelie Mauresmo.
Williams was forced to miss last year's Open because of her knee trouble and did not get to defend her title.
The six-time Grand Slam winner was seeded third this time, and began the week with many fans wondering whether her knee was OK. She showed no ill effects against the No. 15 Schnyder, needing only 58 minutes to win.
"When she serves that well, I will never be able to make a break," Schnyder said. "If she serves like this, it's hard for anybody."
Flat attire
Williams' serving far overshadowed what she wore. Earlier in the week, she attracted quite a bit of attention with black, form-fitting shorts and a studded, tight tank top -- she warmed up that day with black, knee-high boots.
Supermodel Naomi Campbell was on hand to watch Williams. They've gone shopping together in Los Angeles.
"She'd always tell me what I should wear. I'd try on some different outfits. She's like, 'Wear that one,"' Williams said.
Like Williams, Haas was absent from last year's Open because an injury. He missed the entire season because of a bad right shoulder, having surgery on his rotator cuff in December 2002 and another operation seventh months later.
A two-time semifinalist at the Australian Open, Haas reached the round of 16 at this tournament for the fourth time.
Mello made it into the Open as a qualifier, the same path he took to play at the French and Australian opens earlier this year.
Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.