Williams powers into semifinals

Serena Williams advanced to the semifinals of the Australian Open today, overcoming a sluggish start and a back-and-forth third set to beat Shahar Peer, 3-6, 6-2, 8-6.

Williams has won five consecutive matches for the first time since she won the last of her seven Grand Slam singles title here two years ago.

“I am the ultimate competitor,” Williams said after the match. “I feel awesome. I’m excited to be out here.... I’m just so happy to be back out here competing.”

The only American left in the men’s field, Andy Roddick, had reason to be happy too, after also reaching the semifinals. Roddick, seeded No. 6, eliminated countryman Mardy Fish, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.

Williams, 25, dropped her first service game and was down a break for the rest of the first set, fending off a set point in the eighth game and two more in the ninth before Peer won it with a big first serve.

Peer had lost only one point on her serve in the second set until 30-love in the sixth game, when Williams ran off four straight points to go ahead, 4-2.

The first four games of the deciding set took 34 minutes -- four minutes longer than the entire second set -- with Williams saving break points in the first and third games and then breaking the 16th-seeded Peer in the fourth.

But just when Williams, a former No. 1, seemed to be in control, Peer broke and got back on serve.

Williams faced double-break point in the ninth game, saving both with aces and then closing it out for a 5-4 lead with another down the middle.

Peer broke again in the 11th game and the 19-year-old Israeli was serving for the match before Williams broke back and then held at love for a 7-6 lead.

During the changeover, Williams quickly flipped through a notebook. Whatever she read must have helped. She came out and broke serve again, winning on her first match point when Peer curled a backhand out after 2 hours 34 minutes.

Williams had 49 unforced errors and only 30 winners. But in the end, her experience counted most. Williams converted five of her six break-point chances, while Peer converted only three of 13.

Williams next plays 17-year-old Nicole Vaidisova, who beat fellow Czech Lucie Safarova, 6-1, 6-4, to reach her second Slam semifinal.

Top-seeded Maria Sharapova downed No. 22 Vera Zvonareva, 7-5, 6-4, Monday and will play another all-Russian match in the quarterfinals against No. 12 Ana Chakvetadze, who beat No. 8 Patty Schnyder, 6-4, 6-1.

On the men’s side, Rafael Nadal of Spain outlasted 19-year-old Andy Murray of Scotland, twice rallying from a set down late Monday to win, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, and reach the quarterfinals.