World number one Andy Roddick and defending champion Andre Agassi both defeated their opponents easily Sunday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne.
Roddick picked off 16th-seeded Sjeng Schalken in straight sets (6-1, 6-2, 6-3), in just 79 minutes Sunday. The hard-hitting American blasted 14 aces past the Dutchman at speeds of up to nearly 220 kilometers per hour. He next takes on Marat Safin of Russia.
Fourth-seeded Agassi avenged his 2002 second-round Wimbledon loss to 13th-seed Paradorn Srichaphan in a straight-sets (7-6, 6-3, 6-4) victory. Agassi next goes up against ninth-seed Sebastien Grosjean of France.
Agassi is looking to win his fifth title at Melbourne, and his ninth career Grand Slam championship.
In women's action Sunday, world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium and fifth-seed Lindsay Davenport of the United States both advanced. They will face each other in the quarterfinal.
Henin-Hardenne beat Italian qualifier Mara Santangelo in straight sets (6-1, 7-6); Davenport, who was the 2000 Australian Open champion, eliminated 11th-seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia just as easily (6-1, 6-3).
Fourth-seed Amelie Mauesmo also advanced to the quarterfinals, where she will face 32nd-seed Fabiola Zuluaga, the first Colombian woman to reach the round of eight in a Grand Slam event.