PARIS -- Venus Williams' future opponents might get intimidated if they watched tapes of her first three matches at the French Open.

Looking for a breakthrough at the Grand Slam tournament that's given her the most trouble, the second-seeded Williams was downright dominant again Friday, moving into the fourth round by beating No. 31 Rita Grande of Italy 6-1, 6-4, and clinching a return to the top of the rankings.

Williams will become No. 1 for the third time, overtaking Jennifer Capriati, no matter how each fares the rest of the way at Roland Garros.

At times, the match against Grande had the feel of a 52-minute practice session for Williams, who produced 23 winners to just one for her opponent. Williams has dropped 12 games through three matches in Paris, where she lost to Barbara Schett in the first round in 2001.

``It's nice not to be on the court too long. On clay courts, anything can happen, especially at this tournament,'' the two-time Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion said.

``So if you can just shut your opponents out, with not too many mistakes, you don't find yourself in a situation that you feel is out of your control.''

She spoke about an hour after No. 4 Kim Clijsters, thought to be the most dangerous player left on Williams' half of the draw, was upset 6-4, 6-0 by 87th-ranked Clarisa Fernandez of Argentina. Clijsters lost to Capriati in last year's final.

Williams (who had a small bandage on her left knee) did have a late lapse against Grande, losing two straight games at love. It was an eight-point aberration completely of her own doing -- seven errors plus a double fault -- and, in a sense, illustrative of how lopsided the match was.

``I didn't feel pressure that she was going to hit winners on me, because her game is not a power game,'' said Williams, who withdrew from her last tournament, the Italian Open, citing a wrist injury. ``It's more finesse and placement.''

An encouraging stat for Williams: She won the point on nine of 11 trips to the net.

A gracious Grande provided quite a scouting report.

``She dictated everything. I just did what I could to get the ball back,'' said Grande, who had a set point against Capriati in the Australian Open's round of 16. ``You hit a great shot, and she takes two steps and is there.''

Next up for Williams is 45th-ranked Chanda Rubin, in just her third tournament of 2002 after left knee surgery. Rubin -- a quarterfinalist at Roland Garros in '95 and '00, and a semifinalist at the '96 Australian Open -- followed up her second-round upset of the 16th-seeded Schett by beating No. 23 Anne Kremer 6-1, 6-0.

``I definitely feel I can win,'' Rubin said. ``A player like Venus is not going to go down without a fight.''

With a game that once was primarily power-based, but now is increasingly nuanced, Williams leaves her opponents few options.

Grande noticed: ``What am I supposed to do? Go to the net? She'll pass you. Return well? She hits a serve (120 mph). She makes you change your tactics completely.''

After teaching Grande a thing or two, Williams, recipient of an honorary degree from Howard University, was asked whether she thinks about what it would have been like to go to college instead of joining the tennis tour.

``I've spoken to a lot of people who say it's some of the greatest years of their lives,'' the 21-year-old Williams said. ``Surely, I'd be a struggling college student, fighting for the next Cup O' Noodles.

``Here, at least, I can fight for the next filet mignon.''