Sports Serena Williams Through To Next Round As ITF Fines Venus US$5,000

Top seed, Serena Williams and current world number three, Roger Federer, are through to the next round of the 2016 Australian Open.

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World number one, Williams beat Taiwan's Hsieh Su-Wei 6-1 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena as Federer saw off Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3 7-5 6-1.

"Conditions are extremely quick, so you're not going to find much rhythm," he said. "I thought I served great."

Maria Sharapova, 28, saw off Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2 6-1.

Novak Djokovic plays Quentin Halys in Wednesday's late session, while British number ones Andy Murray and Jo Konta resume their campaigns in the second round on Thursday.

Japanese seventh seed Kei Nishikori was another early winner on day three as he beat American Austin Krajicek 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-3, and Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych beat Bosnia and Herzegovina's Mirza Basic 6-4 6-0 6-3.

Ukraine's Kateryna Bondarenko caused an upset with a 6-1 7-5 win over Russian 23rd seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, winner of the Sydney title last week.

Meanwhile, World number 10 and seven-times Grand Slam champion Venus Williams was given a US$5,000 fine for failing to appear at a news conference on Tuesday.

The American, 35, did not fulfil her post-match media commitments after losing in straight sets to Britain's Jo Konta.

Williams was fined US$3,000 by the International Tennis Federation at last year's French Open for skipping her media duties following a first-round defeat by Sloane Stephens.

Asked whether her elder sister would return to Melbourne in 2017, defending champion Serena Williams said: "I would assume. She's never mentioned anything about not being here, not competing."
 
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