Serena Williams beats No. 1 Henin with ease

Serena Williams made Justine Henin, the world’s top-ranked woman, look like a novice as she pulled off a 6-2, 6-0 victory Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the Sony Ericsson Open at Key Biscayne, Fla.

Williams won the final 10 games while Henin unraveled after she double-faulted three times to fall behind, 4-2.

“It wasn’t easy,” Williams said. “It was just the fact of me making the right shots at the right time.”

Svetlana Kuznetsova prevented an all-Williams semifinal. Kuznetsova, the 2006 Key Biscayne champion, eliminated three-time champion Venus Williams, 6-4, 6-4.

Venus Williams was hurt by eight double faults.

Andy Roddick rallied past Julien Benneteau, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, to earn another shot at Roger Federer in the men’s quarterfinals. The top-ranked Federer advanced by beating Jose Acasuso, 7-6 (6), 6-2.

“Is that who I play?” the sixth-seeded Roddick said facetiously. He’s 1-15 against Federer and has lost their last 11 meetings.

No. 2-seeded Rafael Nadal swept No. 16 Paul-Henri Mathieu, 6-4, 6-4. No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko beat wild card Mario Ancic, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Nadal’s opponent today will be No. 9 James Blake, who wobbled at the finish but beat Radek Stepanek, 6-3, 6-4. Blake needed six match points in the final game to close out the victory.

Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova won’t play for Russia in the Fed Cup semifinals against the United States this month as Kuznetsova takes her turn on the team.

The fourth-ranked Kuznetsova will lead Russia in the best-of-five semifinal series in Moscow on April 26-27. The fifth-ranked Sharapova played her first Fed Cup matches against Israel in February.

PRO FOOTBALL

NFL adopts defensive

communication device

Taking another technological step forward, NFL owners approved a communication device for defenses.

One defensive player will wear a helmet similar to what the quarterback is allowed on offense. Should that player leave the game, a teammate can be designated to also have the device. But only one defender with the device can be on the field at a time.

“We want to safeguard against a situation with two players on the field at the same time with the helmet communication,” said Rich McKay, Atlanta Falcons president and competition committee.

The vote was 25-7 in favor -- 24 yes votes were required -- and all seven negatives came from head coaches with offensive backgrounds.

Restricted free agent safety Brandon McGowan will remain with the Chicago Bears after signing a one-year tender offer.

McGowan made a career-high nine starts and finished sixth on the team and third among defensive backs with 80 tackles in 14 games last season.

OLYMPICS

Agency can test all

athletes for HGH

The World Anti-Doping Agency will expand testing for human growth hormone and be able to test all athletes participating in the Beijing Olympics this summer.

The New York Times reported on its website that WADA had purchased thousands of kits to screen blood for HGH. For the first time, widespread out-of-competition testing for the hormone can be done.

Double amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius’ appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to overturn a ruling that he is ineligible to compete at the Beijing Olympics will be heard April 29-30.

Pistorius is seeking to overturn the decision by track and field’s international governing body that he cannot participate in the Beijing Games -- or any other sanctioned able-bodied competition -- because his prosthetic racing limbs give him a competitive advantage.

Olympic 100-meter champion Justin Gatlin’s appeal of a four-year doping ban will be heard next month by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The hearing will take place May 28-29. Gatlin filed the appeal Feb. 28, seeking to void the first of his two doping violations so he can compete at this year’s Beijing Olympics.

MISCELLANY

Former Kentucky, Louisville player dies

Former Kentucky and Louisville basketball player Marvin Stone died after collapsing during halftime of a game in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He was 26. Louisville spokesman Kenny Klein said Stone died of an apparent heart attack. Stone had signed a contract with Ittihad Jeddah earlier in the week and was playing in the team’s Elite Cup semifinal game when he fell ill.

Richard Childress Racing will expand to four cars next season with General Mills as sponsor, a partnership that leaves Petty Enterprises searching for financial backing for its famed No. 43 for only the second time since 1972.

General Mills has sponsored the No. 43 the last nine seasons, taking over when STP gave up its role as primary sponsor of the car Richard Petty drove to 200 victories. Bobby Labonte currently pilots the flagship Dodge.

Katherine Goodman, co-owner of the WNBA’s Sparks, has been elected to the L.A. Sports Council’s board of directors for the 2008-09 term.