Rafael Nadal breezed into the Australian Open third round with a 6-0 6-2 6-2 demolition of Frenchman Florent Serra on Wednesday. The world number two won the first eight games with his usual barrage of groundstrokes and although Serra competed more effectively in the second and third sets, he never threatened to halt the Spaniard's progress.
South Africa's raw power was the key factor which enabled them to win the World Cup final, England scrumhalf Andy Gomarsall said on Monday. ''In the end South Africa's physicality was the difference,'' Gomarsall told Reuters in Sydney where he is on holiday.
Chilean Fernando Gonzalez continued his rich vein of form to demolish German Tommy Haas 6-1 6-3 6-1 on Friday to reach the Australian Open final. The 10th seed produced another sublime performance against 12th seed Haas to advance to his first Grand Slam final in which he will play world number one Roger Federer on Sunday.