Roundup

Serena Williams didn't have to deal with any unexpected distractions today, advancing to the fourth round at the Australian Open in Melbourne. The second-seeded Williams, who won the Australian title in 2003, 2005 and 2007, started play on the sixth day at Rod Laver Arena with a 6-1, 6-4 win over No. 41-ranked Peng Shuai of China. The nine-time major winner's victory was routine compared with the previous day at the first major of the season. A half-naked streaker ran onto the court during Williams' doubles victory with sister Venus. Then ethnic violence flared after Novak Djokovic of Serbia beat Bosnian-born American Amer Delic, leaving a woman injured, two men charged with riotous behavior, 30 people ejected by police and broken chairs scattered over the lawn area at Melbourne Park. Serena Williams next faces No. 13 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who ousted 2006 Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo, 6-4, 6-2. Carla Suarez Navarro, who had an upset win over reigning Wimbledon champion Venus Williams in the second round, beat fellow Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, 6-1, 6-4. Suarez Navarro, ranked 46th, will next play No. 21 Anabel Medina Garrigues - who ousted 12th seed Flavia Pennetta of Italy, 6-4, 6-1 - in an all-Spanish fourth-round match. Yesterday, Ana Ivanovic's hopes of a return trip to the final fell apart in a 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-2 loss to Alisa Kleybanova of Russia. The fifth-ranked Ivanovic lost her serve nine times. The afternoon violence also overshadowed the night match between second-ranked Roger Federer and former No. 1 Marat Safin. Federer won, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (5).

Installment plan offered for Nats season tickets

baseball

The Washington Nationals have come up with a recession-friendlier way to pay for season tickets: the installment plan. The Nationals announced the creation of the Grand Slam E-Z Payment Plan, which allows fans to pay off their season tickets in monthly installments on their credit cards over six months. The move is the latest among several measures the team, which finished with the worst record in baseball last season at 59-102, hopes will attract fans to Nationals Park during the tough economic climate. In September, the Nationals announced they were lowering season-ticket prices for 7,500 seats, and Thursday they lowered individual-sale ticket prices on 14,000 seats.