Williams topples Azarenka to reach last 16

TOKYO, Japan: Former world number one Venus Williams overpowered ailing top seed Victoria Azarenka 6-2 6-4 with ruthless efficiency to reach the last 16 of the Pan Pacific Open on Tuesday.

The seven-times grand slam champion showed glimpses of her gunslinging best under the Tokyo floodlights against a grimacing Azerenka, who spent much of the match bending over her racquet between points and tugging sharply on her purple top in frustration.

Azarenka, beaten by Serena Williams in the US Open final earlier this month in a repeat of the 2012 championship match in New York, had a large fan brought courtside to try to cool off at changeovers.

But such was her obvious discomfort she failed to threaten Williams. The 24-year-old Belarusian threw several tantrums as she repeatedly wafted shots off target or into the net.

Williams completed her third victory in three meetings between the pair with a second serve. Australian Open champion Azarenka wearily hooked it wide before trudging off court close to tears.

Big-hitting Australian Samantha Stosur, seeded 12th, shunted out Japan's golden oldie Kimiko Date-Krumm, although the 2011 US Open champion had to work for her 6-3 7-6 win over the 42-year-old local favourite.

Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova, twice a grand slam singles champion, upset third seed Sara Errani of Italy, registering a 6-4 6-4 win to reach the third round.

Sixth seed Jelena Jankovic brushed aside Japan's Ayumi Morita 6-4 6-1 to advance. Another Serbian former world number one, Ana Ivanovic -- runner-up to Martina Hingis in Tokyo in 2007 -- thrashed Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 6-3 6-0 to set up a meeting with fifth seed Angelique Kerber of Germany.

Canada's Eugenie Bouchard pulled off a surprise 5-7 7-6 6-3 victory over ninth-seeded Sloane Stephens, whose fellow American Madison Keys fared far better with a mature display in a 7-5 6-2 victory over China's Peng Shuai that belied her tender age of 18. (AFP)