Safina surges through

Dinara Safina and Venus Williams both powered to comprehensive victories to reach the third round of the US Open at Flushing Meadows.

Seeds enjoy comfortable start in New York

Dinara Safina and Venus Williams both powered to comprehensive victories to reach the third round of the US Open at Flushing Meadows on Thursday. Sixth seed Safina brushed aside Roberta Vinci of Italy 6-4 6-3 while seventh seeded Williams strolled to a 6-0 6-3 victory over Rossana de los Rios. It has been a breakthrough season for Safina who has won three of her eight career titles in 2008. She reached the final at the Beijing Olympics but had to settle for silver after losing to Russian compatriot Elena Dementieva. Safina hammered six aces and won 71 percent of her first serve points in the 80-minute match on the main Arthur Ashe Stadium. The well-fancied Russian moves through to the third round where she will play Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland.

Overdue

In another early women's match, two-time champion Williams proved far too powerful for Paraguay's de los Rios. The 28-year-old is now targeting grand slam success on home soil for the first time since going back-to-back in 2000 and 2001. After demolishing de los Rios 6-0 6-3 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in 59 minutes, the seventh seed agreed that her US Open success was by now a distant recollection. "Oh, yes, I remember," Williams said. "I won't forget, but I'd like to have a more recent memory as of like '08. "That's pretty much the goal. I guess, kind of overdue, got to win it to deserve it." The seventh-seeded American moves through to the third round where she will play Alona Bondarenko who beat Sabine Lisicki 6-4 1-6 6-4. And Williams was later joined by sister Serena in the next round, the younger sibling cruising past doubles specialist Elena Vesnina of Russia 6-1 6-1 in less than an hour.