Australian Open, Melbourne
Venue: Melbourne Park Dates: 17-30 January
Coverage: Watch on BBC TV, Red Button, BBC Sport website (UK only) & Eurosport; listen on BBC 5 live sports extra and online; text commentary online; full details

Venus's choice of outfit caused eyebrows to be raised on the Rod Laver Arena

Venus Williams suffered an injury scare as she laboured to a 6-7 (6-8) 6-0 6-4 victory over Sandra Zahlavova in the second round of the Australian Open.

The fourth seed screamed in pain as she lost the first set and required medical treatment, returning with strapping around her right thigh.

But despite the pain, she brushed aside Zahlavova in the next set before holding on for a hard-fought victory.

Caroline Wozniacki also advanced with a 6-1 6-0 win over American Vania King.

World number one Wozniacki was rarely troubled during the 58-minute match as she reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the 13th successive time.

"Last time I played her I was down 4-1 in the third, so I knew I had to be switched on from the start," she said.

Wozniacki can retain her top ranking if she reaches the last four in Melbourne.

Azarenka needed 92 minutes to defeat Andrea Hlavackova

The 20-year-old, who is playing her first Grand Slam as world number one, will face Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova, who beat Italy's Alberta Brianti 6-1 4-6 6-2, in the next round.

Cibulkova, the 29th seed, beat Wozniacki in her first competitive match of 2011 in Sydney last week.

But the Dane returned to winning ways with 23 winners as world number 88 King produced an error-strewn display, double-faulting on set point on both occasions to hand Wozniacki victory.

"It was a really great match, I felt like I was hitting the ball really well," added Wozniacki, who switched to a new racquet manufacturer during the off-season.

Williams, who reached the Australian Open final in 2003, will play 30th seed Andrea Petkovic of Germany in the next round after she beat British number two Anne Keothavong.

The American revealed afterwards that she had suffered a pelvic muscle strain and said it was one of the most painful injuries she had suffered.

"I'm going to just try to recover for Friday and try to get ready to play and bring my best tennis no matter what. Hopefully I'll come through it," she said.

"After the injury timeout you have to just kind of see how you're doing and how you feel. You have to get past the fear of getting worse and just feel it out and see how it's feeling.

"I'm so thankful I was able to get some games on the scoreboard, and that helped a ton.

"I wasn't able to play at my exact level. I just had to try to play smarter and just be tough. But I'm hoping by the next 48 hours it'll calm down a lot."

Meanwhile, 2008 champion Maria Sharapova came through a nervous encounter to book her place in the third round with a 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 victory over France's Virginie Razzano.

The 14th seed goes on to play Germany's Julia Goerges, who surprised 20th seed Kaia Kanepi with a 4-6 6-3 4-6 win.

Eighth seed Victoria Azarenka was in excellent form in a 6-4 6-4 victory over Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic and her next opponent will be South Africa's Chanelle Scheepers, who beat Russian Regina Kulikova 6-4 4-6 7-5.

However, 15th seed Marion Bartoli was the second seed to fall on Wednesday when she was beaten 3-6 6-3 6-0 by Russia's Vesna Manasieva.

The 21-year-old will play another surprise winner, Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova, in round three after her 6-4 6-2 win over Belgium's 21st seed Yanina Wickmayer.

Sixth seed Francesca Schiavone needed almost two-and-a-half hours to see off a spirited display by Canada's Rebecca Marino in a 6-3 5-7 9-7 victory in the Margaret Court Arena.

The Italian faces Romania's Monica Niculescu next after the 23-year-old beat 32nd seed Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 6-4 6-1.

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic beat Australian wild card Jelena Dokic 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 and will next face ninth seed Li Na of China who got the better of Evgeniya Rodina of Russia 6-3 6-2.

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