• Australian Open build-up

Serena cruises through as Safina crashes out

Serena Williams will face world No.27 Aravane Rezai in the semi-finals © Getty Images

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Serena Williams showed why she is women's No.1 with a dominant victory over Vera Dushevina to progress to through the semi-finals in Sydney, but it was not such a good day at the office for world No.2 Dinara Safina, who lost in straight sets to Elena Dementieva.

Safina, who pulled out of last week's Brisbane tournament with a back strain, lost 6-2 6-3 to compatriot Dementieva, but last year's Australian Open finalist remained upbeat about her chances of finally winning her first Grand Slam title.

"I don't think it was a bad match, just a bad start," Safina said. "If I played the first set like the second set, it could have been a different result. My game is there. I just have to practice a bit more before the Australian Open."

Dementieva will face Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who came through a tough three-set match against last year's French Open semi-finalist Dominika Cibulkova 2-6 6-2 7-5. Meanwhile, Williams, who took less than an hour to see off Russia's Dushevina 6-2 6-2, will play world No.27 Aravane Rezai.

In the men's draw, home favourite Lleyton Hewitt powered through to the quarter-finals with a convincing 6-0 6-2 victory over Andreas Seppi. In a repeat of their epic 2008 encounter at the Australian Open that lasted more than four and a half hours, Hewitt has drawn Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis. The 2006 Australian Open finalist saw off sixth seed Viktor Troicki 7-5 6-3, and he is preparing for another tough match.

"He's on fire," Baghdatis said of the Australian No.1 and four-time Sydney champion. "It's just he has to keep healthy. It's not very easy because a lot of guys now are fit. It's a tougher, more physical game than before so it's not that easy. I think you have to be unbelievably fit to get back in the top 10. That's what I'm trying to do. I think he's trying. He's a great guy and he's done a lot for this sport. I think he's working out hard."

To the delight of the home fans, wildcard Peter Luczak is also through after a shock victory over second seed Tomas Berdych. Berdych won the first set 6-1, but the world No.78 staged a spectacular comeback to win the match 1-6 6-4 6-4. He will face Mardy Fish for a place in the semi-finals, while Richard Gasquet takes on Italian Potito Starace and Julien Benneteau meets Argentinean qualifier Leonardo Mayer.

Former Australian Open semi-finalist David Nalbandian has withdrawn from next week's Grand Slam with an abdominal tear. The former world No.3 has not played since May, when he was forced to undergo surgery for a hip injury.

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