TENNIS in DEPTH.

Nadia Petrova outserved Venus Williams to defeat the #2 player 6-4, 6-3. It was her first victory over Venus and comes just 2 weeks after she recorded her first victory over Serena in Madrid.

Venus looked bewildered throughout her match, served 8 double faults and refused to move behind the baseline to return the hard serves of Petrova. It was rare for a rally to go beyond 4 strokes, which played directly into Petrova’s game plan.

Elena Dementieva delivered a routine performance to see off the challenge of South African qualifier Chanelle Scheepers 6-1 6-3.

The fifth seed took only one hour and 14 minutes to conclude matters on the showcase Philippe Chatrier court.

Dementieva’s victory takes her through to a quarter-final meeting with fellow Russian Nadia Petrova.

Italy’s Francesca Schiavone joined Dementieva in the last eight with a 6-4 6-4 win over Russia’s Maria Kirilenko.

World number 131 Scheepers had beaten Gisela Dulko, a player ranked 86 places above her, previously in her campaign as she became the first South African to reach the last 16 since Amanda Coetzer in 1997.

The 26-year-old may have been given hope of a higher-profile scalp as Denmentieva battled through a calf injury in her win over Aleksandra Wozniak in the previous round.

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