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MELBOURNE – A struggling Serena Williams received a free ride into the Australian Open quarter-finals when her opponent fell ill Monday, while fourth seed Elena Dementieva surged to her 14th straight win this year.

Three-time Australian champion Williams was trailing 6-3, 2-4 to rising teen star Victoria Azarenka and had received a code violation for swearing in frustration when a mystery bug forced the 16th seeded Belarussian to retire.

Williams next opponent, eighth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, also had an armchair ride into the quarters when Chinese 22nd seed Zheng Jie pulled out of their clash with a wrist injury.

But there were convincing wins for Dementieva and unseeded Spanish giantkiller Carla Suarez Navarro in the two matches that did go the distance.

Azarenka's dramatic withdrawal prematurely curtailed what was developing into a fascinating clash between a nine-time Grand Slam winner Williams and one of the leading lights in a new generation of challengers.

The 19-year-old had broken Williams twice to win the first set and was down a break in the second when she became distressed.

She called a medical time out but could barely stand up after coming back out to play, wobbling between points then staggering to the net in tears to concede the match before being helped off court.

Williams, who complained of feeling rusty earlier in the tournament, said she was unhappy with her serve when she was reprimanded for an audible obscenity towards the end of the first set.

"I felt like this tournament my serve hasn't been anywhere near where it normally is so I just got a little frustrated with my first serve percentage," she said, adding that she was confident she would have come back to win.

Williams remains on track for a semi-final showdown wiith Dementieva, who crushed Slovak 18th seed Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-2 to extend the hottest winning streak in women's tennis.

The 27-year-old's 14-match run this year has already delivered titles in Auckland and Sydney, leading compatriot Dinara Safina to nominate her the favourite to lift the trophy here.

But Dementieva played down the tag, preferring to concentrate on her next match against Suarez Navarro.

"I'm the favourite? I don't think so," the Monte Carlo-based world number four said.

She expected a tough test against Suarez Navarro, who dispatched fellow Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues, seeded 21, with a 6-3, 6-2 win.

Suarez Navarro, who dumped Venus Williams from the tournament, equalled her previous best Grand Slam performance at the French Open last year.

The unseeded 20-year-old said her experience at Roland Garros would help her against Dementieva.

"It's different because it's the second time, it's not the first time," she said. "I think I can play better than the first time."

Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open champion, said she would have preferred a hit-out against Zheng but the Chinese player's wrist injury was something beyond her cntrol.

Zheng had her left wrist strapped early in the first set and was unable to continue a short time later, with Kuznetsova leading 4-1.

The Russian has had a low-profile advance to the last eight but said she was capable of taking on anyone.

"I'm just going to play and focus on my game, I'm fine with that and I'm getting better and better," she said.

MELBOURNE – Serb pin-up Ana Ivanovic was dumped from the Australian Open in a three-set thriller Friday while her top seeded compatriot Jelena Jankovic made a stuttering advance into the fourth round.

It was a stark contrast with the fortunes of third seed Dinara Safina and fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva, seeded seventh, who both cruised into the last 16.

Australia's former world number four Jelena Dokic also fired local hopes when she her dream comeback at the season-opening Grand Slam continued with a come-from-behind win over 11th seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.

Ivanovic's 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 loss to Russian teenager Alisa Kleybanova continues a form slump that has dogged the glamourous 21-year-old since her breakthrough Grand Slam win at last year's French Open.

A losing finalist here in 2008 and seeded fifth at this year's tournament, she follows Venus Williams out of the season-opening major, leaving the women's draw wide open.

Ivanovic threw everything she had at Kleybanova after going down a set, clawing her way back into the match but ultimately losing after two hours 33 minutes.

"I gave 100 percent but today she was better and played some unbelievable shots," she said.

"It's disappointing. I'm very, very sad because I felt physically fit and felt I could do well here ... there's plenty more tournamnets in front of me.

"Sometimes losses make you more motivated to work harder."

World number one Jankovic also faced a tough opponent in Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama but scrapped her way to a 6-4, 6-4 even if she could not dominate a player who at 33 is 10 years her senior.

However, Jankovic said her form was improving as the tournament progressed, rating her performance against Sugiyama much better than those she produced in the opening two round.

"I'm just happy to get through this kind of match," she said.

Safina had no trouble displaying the intimidating aggression absent from Jankovic's game so far this tournament, muscling aside Estonian 25th seed Kaia Kanepi 6-2, 6-2.

Cutting down on the errors that marred her earlier matches, the super-fit 22-year-old overcame Kanepi with raw power developed during a breakthrough year when she rose to wrld number 3.

"Finally I played my game, compared to my first two matches, I reached my level," she said.

"From now on I have to play like this or even better every day because it will be tougher and tougher coming up."

Zvonareva also went through easily, dispatching Italy's Sara Errani 6-4, 6-1 to equal her previous best performance in Melbourne and firm as a dangerous prospect for her more highly-fancied rivals.

The crowd favourite was undoubtedly Dokic, who rode a wave of emotion to down Wozniacki 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 and further redeem herself in the eyes of an adoring Australian public.

The Serb-born 25-year-old is on the comeback trail in Australian colours after renoucing her citizenship seven years ago at the urging of her now estranged father Damir.

"I'm sorry for being a pain," said the tournament wildcard who battled severe depression for years after leaving Australia.

"I know I've been difficult at times and I want to apologise for that."

MELBOURNE – Defending champion Novak Djokovic survived a scare to book a place in the Australian Open fourth round as Dinara Safina fired a warning with a convincing rout.

World number three Djokovic was made to work by American Amer Delic on a hot day before running out a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) winner.

It was a less than convincing display by the Serb who struggled to cope with Delic's big serve.

"He has one of the biggest serves out there, it was difficult for me to return and find rhythm," he said.

"I have big respect for Amer, we have known each other a long time and he absolutely deserved to be here. He played great tennis today."

While Djokovic went through Spain's David Ferrer, the 11th seed who was beaten by Djokovic in the quarter-finals last year, crashed out to Croatia's Marin Cilic 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-4.

Cilic will now meet dangerous Argentine eighth seed Juan Martin del Potro who came from a set down to beat Luxembourg's Gilles Muller 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-3, 7-5.

In a match lasting almost three-and-a-half hours, del Potro weathered some brilliant serving from Muller to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time, surpassing his third-round effort at the US Open in 2006.

"It was a really tough match for me, and for Gilles also," said the Argentine.

"I had a slow start but at the end of the first set I started to play better and that was the key to victory."

Roger Federer is on court later Friday in a blockbuster evening match against Russia's Marat Safin, the man who beat the Swiss in the semi-finals en route to the title in 2005.

Safin's sister Safina is running into form as the tournament progresses and whipped Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-2, 6-2 as she stayed on track to meet Serbia's Ana Ivanovic in the quarter-finals.

The third seed came into the tournament after a breakthrough 2008 in which she snared four titles plus Olympic silver, and made good on her stated intention of playing a more aggressive game this year.

"Finally I played my game. Compared to my first two matches, I reached my level," said Safina, 22, who has bulked up this season using her muscular power to overwhelm opponents.

"From now on I have to play like this or even better every day because it will be tougher and tougher coming up, but I'm really happy that I won in two sets.

"If I use my power, then I have to run less. It's time to use it sometimes."

Also into the fourth round is Russia's Vera Zvonareva, with the seventh seed playing scintilating tennis.

After a rare 'double bagel' rout of Edina Gallovits in the second round, she continued her impressive advance with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Italy's Sara Errani.

Tenth seeded Russian Nadia Petrova also went through after Kazakhstan's Galina Voskoboeva retired with back pain after losing the first set 6-1.

World number one and top seed Jelena Jankovic takes on Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama later Friday, with her quest for a maiden Grand Slam title made easier now that one of the Williams sisters, Venus, is out.

MELBOURNE – Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams was dumped from the Australian Open on Thursday but it was a different story for Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray who barged into the third round.

Venus lost the plot against Spain's unseeded Carla Suarez Navarro, crashing 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 for the upset of the tournament so far and continuing her unhappy association with the event which she has never won.

Her sister Serena lived to fight another day, but she too struggled.

The three-time champion needed to mount a second-set recovery after Gisela Dulko took a 5-2 lead. The American finally woke up to reel off five games in a row and tame the Argentinean 6-3, 7-5.

"When you go out on court you have got to expect anything," said Venus, the sixth seed.

"I'm not surprised at how well she played. I haven't quite figured out the areas of my game that went wrong, but I have to credit her."

In hot and blustery conditions, Nadal crushed Roko Karanusic of Croatia 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 to stay on track for his first hardcourt Grand Slam title.

The world number one wrapped up his one-sided match in 97 minutes to set up a clash with 79th-ranked German Tommy Haas.

"He played aggressively, it's not easy to play against someone who plays inside the court and hits big shots with the forehand," Nadal said.

"But I feel very comfortable here and I'm very happy with the victory."

Joining him in the next round was Britain's fourth seed Murray, who wasted little energy in disposing of Spain's Marcel Granollers 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.

"I've been playing really well for the last six or seven months and it's probably the best I have felt coming into a Grand Slam," said the Scot, adding that he was confident he could go "deep" into the tournament.

Serena, who next plays China's Peng Shuai, acknowledged her performance had not been good, rating it a D-minus.

"Today I was at like a D-minus at best," she said.

"But it's good that I was able to win, too, when I wasn't playing my best. I definitely will try to do better.

"She had some opportunities but I never felt like I was going to lose."

She joins top seed Jelena Jankovic, third seed Dinara Safina and fifth seed Ana Ivanovic in the third round after they all assured their berths on Wednesday.

While Serena is considered the favourite, despite her unconvincing performance, the unassuming Elena Dementieva is in a rich vein of form.

The Russian fourth seed steamrolled over the Czech Republic's Iveta Benesova 6-4, 6-1 for her 12th straight victory this year after claiming back-to-back titles in Auckland and Sydney.

The Beijing Olympic gold medalist is seen as one of the most consistent players never to have won a Grand Slam, and she senses her time is coming.

"I'm not thinking about my chances," she insisted. "I'm really enjoying the way I'm playing right now and I just want to go as far as I can, just enjoy every single match I play here."

Also safely through was eighth seed Svetlana Kuznetzova and 2006 champion Amelie Mauresmo, who survived a scare from British qualifier Elena Baltacha to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Next up for Maursemo is dark horse Victoria Azarenka, who continued her recent impressive form by breezing past the Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova 6-2, 6-1.

Among the men, fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga survived a 195-minute marathon to down Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (8/7), 6-2.

Meanwhile, Chilean 13th seed Fernando Gonzalez sped past Argentina's Guillermo Canas 7-5, 6-3, 6-4, setting up a clash with 24th seed Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

They were joined by sixth seed Gilles Simon, fellow Frenchmen Gael Monfils, in-form Spaniard Fernando Verdasco and American James Blake.