Hingis, Sharapova manage to beat heat

Andy Roddick and Roger Federer each moved on with victories.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Top-seeded Maria Sharapova got another taste of the elements, ignoring the saunalike conditions in Rod Laver Arena to advance to the second week of the Australian Open.
While heavy rain prevented play on outside courts, the roof on center court was closed Saturday for Sharapova's 6-3, 6-1 third-round victory over 30th-seeded Tathiana Garbin.
The air conditioning wasn't working early and the players were already sweating profusely after their warmup, while spectators fanned themselves with programs.
"It was a little steamy in there ... humid," Sharapova said. "I've felt cozier in my life."
Cruising
It was slightly cooler for three-time Australian champion Martina Hingis, who needed only 62 minutes to beat Japan's Aiko Nakamura 6-2, 6-1.
Hingis, in the second year of her comeback from three years on the sidelines, has lost only nine games in three matches.
Sharapova has lost just seven games since her narrow escape against Camille Pin in a steamy first-round match.
"I guess I can say I'm still lucky to be in the tournament after my first round," Sharapova said.
"It is only going to get tougher for me."
The U.S. Open champion played in searing temperatures in her opening win, saying the heat had made her delusional while she gave up a 5-0 lead in the third set.
Her second-round win over Anastassia Rodionova was in cool and overcast conditions.
Against Garbin, Sharapova was broken in two of her first three service games.
Then she found the range and was ripping winners -- hitting the lines on three consecutive shots in one point -- and allowed Garbin only one game the rest of the way.
"I thought I was a bit slow in the beginning of the match -- didn't really adjust," she said.
"I was letting her play her game a little too much."
Nakamura had nothing to attack with in a match that was a throwback to Hingis' early days, when the women's game was more about slices than power.
Sensing that Nakamura had little to hurt her with -- she had only two winners to 11 unforced errors in the first set -- Hingis worked on her placement and net game, where she won 10 of 14 approaches.
Men
Sixth-seeded Andy Roddick had to be sure his coach Jimmy Connors didn't fly all the way to Melbourne for nothing Friday.
Connors was uncertain if he'd join Roddick for the Australian Open after his mother and longtime coach, Gloria, died this month.
The eight-time major winner decided to make the long trip -- his first to Melbourne since losing in 1975 -- for Roddick's 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) third-round win over 2005 champion Marat Safin.
Roger Federer moved a step closer to a 10th Grand Slam title with a 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (5) win over Mikhail Youzhny.
The top-ranked Swiss star will be chasing a 33rd consecutive win when he plays 14th-seeded Novak Djokovic, who beat Thailand's Danai Udomchoke 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-1.
On the women's side, Serena Williams, plagued by a bad knee last year and unseeded after winning this event in 2005, rallied after No. 5 Nadia Petrova served for the match at 6-1, 5-3.
Williams, ranked No. 95, showed plenty of grit in a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory that was her first over a top-10 player since she won the last of her seven majors in Australia two years ago.
Defending champion Amelie Mauresmo beat Eva Birnerova to set up a match against Lucie Safarova, while No. 3 Svetlana Kuznetsova, No. 7 Elena Dementieva, No. 10 Nicole Vaidisova and No. 16 Shahar Peer also advanced.
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