AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2007: Serena Beats 5th Seed Petrova

David Gray/REUTERS

In a stunning turnaround, 2-time Australian Open champion (2003, 2005) Serena Williams defeated 5th seed Nadia Petrova of Russia 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the 3rd round of the 2007 Australian Open.

Despite not being as fit as most of her competitors and having only played 16 matches in 2006, Serena still possesses the most intense desire of anyone on the tour (even Maria Sharapova) and can often physically will her body to somehow replicate her once-dominant circa 2003 form in flashes or streaks in matches.

Serena had 22 winners and 39 unforced errors versus Petrova's 24 winners and 28 errors. Her next round match will be against a top form Jelena Jankovic who beat Serena and Venus last year and has only lost one match all year (to Kim Clijsters). It's doubtful that Serena can get past the hottest player on the tour to make her first Grand Slam quartefinal in over two years, but she should still take a boost in confidence for having defeated a Top 10 player again (her first since beating now-retired Lindsay Davenport in the 2005 Australian Open final) and use this to motivate her for the rest of the year.

I, like many other commentators still believe that if she was in better physical shape she could win another Slam or two and possibly dominate women's tennis again.

Craig HIckman has an ode to Serena and more pictures.