ROME -- Fourth-seeded Serena Williams beat Rita Grande of Italy 6-0, 6-3 Wednesday to advance to the third round of the Italian Open.

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After facing little resistance in the opening set, Williams lost her serve in the first game of the second set. She broke in the next game and won five of the next seven games against Grande, who was urged on by the partisan crowd.

"It seems like when I go places, I always tend to play their countrymen, so I'm used to it now," Williams said.

Last year's French Open runner-up, Kim Clijsters, was equally authoritative in her 6-3, 6-2 victory against Russian Elena Likhovtseva but defending champion Jelena Dokic was below par as she beat Israel's Anna Smashnova 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Williams, who reached her first clay-court final last weekend at the German Open where she lost a thrilling three-set title match to Belgian Justine Henin, was in commanding form throughout her one hour demolition job of Grande.

While Williams dictated play with her powerful winners from the baseline, it took Grande 47 minutes to hold serve as her lightweight game totally fell apart.

Third seed Clijsters wasted little time in defeating Likhovtseva with her powerful groundstrokes. After losing early in Berlin last week, Clijsters was looking for some match practice before the French Open gets under way on May 27.

Dokic had to battle hard to get past the resilient Smashnova, who has already won two titles this year.

"It wasn't easy, especially on clay," sixth-seeded Dokic said. "She's had some good results this year. I beat her once this year, but I also lost to her in Charleston so I knew what to expect.

Dokic, who beat Amelie Mauresmo in the 2001 final to take her first title, added: "I had such a great time here last year and coming back as defending champion isn't easy.

"It's a lot to ask to win the tournament again so I'm just trying to take it one match at a time."

France's Mauresmo dominated in her 6-1, 7-5 victory against compatriot Nathalie Dechy.

Mary Pierce, the 2000 Roland Garros champion, set up a third-round clash with Jennifer Capriati by beating 13th seed Patty Schnyder 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.

Eighth seed Sandrine Testud was an emphatic 6-1, 6-1 winner against qualifier Julia Vakulenko.

Russia's Tatiana Panova also advanced after her opponent, Henrieta Nagyova, trailing 6-0, 5-2, retired with a right thigh strain.

Italy's Silvia Farina Elia sent the Roman crowd home happy by beating Barbara Schett 6-2, 6-4 in the night session. Farina Elia now meets Testud for a place in the last eight.