Nadal, Sharapova Advance

Spain’s Rafael Nadal quickly advanced to the Australian Open’s fourth round today, when a calf injury forced French opponent Paul-Henri Matthieu to drop out; Nadal was ahead 6-4, 3-0. Justine Henin made short work of her opponent, Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei, 6-2, 6-2, as did Maria Sharapova, who beat Elena Dementieva 6-2, 6-0 in just an hour despite predictions that she'd face a challenge. In other action:

• Current champ Serena Williams toppled Nicole Vaidisova 6-4, 6-4, provoking a smashed racquet; she’ll next face Jelena Jankovic, who defeated Australian Casey Dellacqua 7-6 (3), 6-1.
• Juan Carlos Ferrero beat 10th-seeded David Nalbandian 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga won a close match against Richard Gasquet, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-3.
• Mikhail Youzhny beat fellow Russian Nikolay Davydenko 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-1.

(More Australian Open stories.)