Melbourne, Jan 21: Australian Open which is said to be a forbidden fruit for Venus Williams, but this time around she is determined to pluck the coveted fruit. She crushed Polish qualifier Marta Domachowska to secure a 6-4, 6-4 win and move in to final eight.

The six-time Grand Slam champion said she Domachowska adopted much the same tactics as her previous opponent, India's Sania Mirza, in going for broke and smashing every ball she could get her racquet to. She added that while such matches could be fun, she was looking forward to the prospect of facing the game's big names as the tournament progresses. "I do consider myself a big match player. I enjoy those times. I enjoy the battle. I enjoy the challenge,"she said.illiams is yet to win an Australian title in nine attempts, reaching the decider here in 2003 but losing to sister Serena.

"I've come close here before but my little sister Serena has taken it away from me," she said.
"To win the singles would be a dream come true.

She must overcome Ivanovic to keep the dream alive, and has a 4-0 winning record over the Serb, including bumping her from the US Open and Wimbledon last year.

Williams refused to rise to Ivanovic's comment that she was out to avenge her losing streak against the American.


"I've got a lot of respect for Ana and won't be taking her lightly," she said. "She's a great player. I know she'll do her best."
Williams played with her right thigh strapped against Domachowska but was confident it would not be needed against Ivanovic.


"I've got a little something going on but it's not going to hurt anybody," the 27-year-old replied when asked about the strapping.
Domachowska's power hitting was on display early as Williams conceded a service break in the third game but broke back in the sixth.


Domachowska could not convert two chances to break again in the next game but Williams made the most of her opportunities, edging ahead in the eighth game when the Pole double faulted to make it 4-4.
Domachowska's serve had allowed her to keep up with Williams as she sent down four aces in the opening games, but it began to misfire and the American took the next three games to wrap up the set 6-4 after 35 minutes.

Williams again struggled to dominate the second set, finally securing a break in the seventh game to have a chance to serve out the match at 5-3.
But she could not close out Domachowska, hitting a forehand long on match point before the Polish slugger finally converted one of three break points.

Williams made no mistake in the next game, coming in from the baseline to attack Domachowska's serve and securing a quarter-final berth at Melbourne Park for the fifth time after one hour 19 minutes.

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