Serena beats Henin at miami

World No.1 Roger Federer rolled over unseeded Jose Acasuso 7-6(5), 6-2 in a fourth round match at the $3.8 million ATP and WTA hardcourt tournament here at Miami on Tuesday. “Now I feel like I’m playing well,’’ said Federer who faces American Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals. Second seed Rafael Nadal, who lost to Federer in the 2005 final, also reached the quarterfinals by beating 15th-seeded Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 6-4. Ninth-seeded American James Blake is through to the quarterfinals after claiming a 6-3, 6-4 win over No. 27 Radek Stepanek. Roddick will join his compatriot in the last eight. Roddick struggled in the first set before rallying to beat unseeded Frenchman Julien Benneteau 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Russia’s Dmitry Tursunov failed to move through as 10th-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych claimed a 6-2, 6-2 win in their fourth round match. On the women’s side of the draw, Svetlana Kuznetsova spoiled the prospect of an all-Williams semifinal. Hours after Serena Williams was victorious in her quarterfinal, Kuznetsova defeated Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4. Williams was attempting to capture her fourth title at the event, having won the tournament in 1998, 1999 and 2001. Younger sister Serena had held up her end of the bargain earlier on Tuesday with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over top seed and World No. 1 Justine Henin. Henin had won three straight in the series against Serena — claiming quarterfinal victories at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open — but was outplayed by the American. Serena, who beat Henin here in last season’s championship match, captured three breaks in each set of the 80-minute match. It was another tough loss for the 25-year-old Belgian, who was playing her first tournament since being upset by Francesca Schiavone in the quarterfinals at Dubai. “Today I didn’t make as many errors,’’ Serena said. “I stayed positive no matter what happened.”

Federer advances at Miami

World No.1s Roger Federer and Justine Henin advanced at the $7.54 million ATP and WTA hardcourt event here on Monday, Henin in straight sets and Federer thanks to an injury retirement. Swiss superstar Federer was leading Robin Soderling 6-4, 3-0 when the Swedish player retired with illness, advancing the world No.1 into a fourthround match. “There is a big difference between not playing at all and playing a set and a half. I prefer today,’’ Federer said. “I get the feel of the tournament playing a match and I’m able to handle the conditions.’’ Federer, upset by American Mardy Fish at the Indian Wells semifinals in his most recent prior event, will next face Argentina’s Jose Acasuso, who eliminated Israel’s Dudi Sela 6-4, 6-4. Belgium’s Henin beat Russia’s Elena Vesnina 6-2, 6-2 in a fourth round match to book a quarterfinal date with defending champion Serena Williams of the United States in a rematch of last year’s final. Williams, the eighth seed, beat Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 6-3 to give herself another date against Henin. Williams rallied to defeat Henin 0-6, 7-5, 6-3 for her 28th career crown. Henin, who won titles at Sydney and Belgium in four starts this year, fired eight aces to overcome six double faults in her victory. She is in her first event since a Dubai quarterfinal ouster. Possibly awaiting the Williams-Henin winner in the semifinals would be Venus Williams or Russian third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, the runner-up at Indian Wells. Kuznetsova, the 2006 winner here, defeated Israeli 16th seed Shahar Peer 7-6(4), 6-3, while the elder Williams sister, seeded sixth, beat Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3. Serbian fourth seed Jelena Jankovic eliminated China’s Zheng Jie 6-4, 7-5 to advance into a quarterfinals date with Russian 10th seed Elena Dementieva, who ousted Germany’s Sabine Lisicki 6-3, 6-2. Also reaching the final eight was Russian Dinara Safina, who ended the run of US tennis mum Lindsay Davenport 6-3, 6-4. She will face either Japan’s Ai Sugiyama or Russian Vera Zvonareva. In other matches on the men’s side, Russian fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko reached the round of 16 by defeating Italy’s Simone Bolelli 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-1 and will next face Croatian wildcard Mario Ancic or Argentina’s Juan Monaco. Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was eliminated by fellow Frenchman Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-3 in another third round match. Benneteau, ranked 72nd, awaits the winner of a night match between US sixth seed Andy Roddick and Czech qualifier Ivo Minar.