NEW YORk, Sept. 1 -- Serena Williams and last year's French Open champion Francesca Schiavone played red hot matches in U.S. Open as Williams allowed only one game and Schiavone surrendered two in cuising into third round on Thursday.
Williams romped past two rounds in a total of 105 minutes. In Round one, she dispatched Bojana Jovanovski 6-1, 6-1 in 56 minutes. On Thursday, Williams was even better, dusting off Michaella Krajicek 6-0, 6-1 in 49 minutes thanks to 25 winners to just 10 unforced errors and an 83 percent conversion rate on her break point chances, making five of six.
No. 7 seed Francesca Schiavone, who won at Roland Garros in 2010, routed Mirjana Lucic, 6-1, 6-1 in the first match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Schiavone didn't face a break point against Lucic, and broke the 96th-seeded Croatian five times in eight chances.
Serena's sister Venus pulled out of the tournament on Wednesday due to an autoimmune disease, which is called Sjogren's Syndrome involving white blood cells and organ and system function.
Serena said she wanted to use her sister's sickness and withdrawal as motivation to do her very best.
"She wants me to do the best. She wouldn't want me to suffer," 13-time grand slam winner Serena said.
"So now, if anything, it should motivate me more. I know she's a fighter and she's really strong. She's great. I think she's really happy now that she knows what it is after all this time."
Serena now awaits the winner of Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, the No. 4 seed in this year's draw, and Gisela Dulko of Argentina.
Two former No. 1s and a past French Open champion all advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open early Thursday afternoon.
Former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic faced even less of a test, advancing with a walkover against Petra Cetkovsa because of a left thigh injury. Cetkvosa had beaten Ivanovic in the third round of Wimbledon.
"I felt good and I was excited for today's match and opportunity for revenge," the Serbian said. "But just have to keep that momentum. Now I get an extra day off, which is always nice."
Ivanovic, who has struggled to regain her form since reaching No. 1 in 2008, reached the fourth round last year at Flushing Meadows. The No. 16 seed will try to get back there when she faces Sloane Stephens.
Another former No. 1, Jelena Jankovic, took out Jelena Dokic 6-4, 6-4. The 11th-seeded Serbian, who is rumored to be feuding with Maria Sharapova, now takes on the 17th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who powered off Petra Martic of Croatia, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
Other seeds advanced were 10th seeded Andrea Petkovic of Germany, who beat China's Zheng Jie 3-6, 6-3, 6-3; 15th seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, who
dismissed Britain's Elena Baltacha, 6-4, 6-3, and 18th seeded Roberta Vinci as the Italian edged off Alize Cornet of France, 6-2, 6-3.
The only seeded casualty was Australia's Jarmila Gajdosova, seeded 29th, who subsided to American Vania King 6-2, 6-0.