On a sultry afternoon in the subtropics, Serena Williams sat under an umbrella and sipped a refreshment.

A day at the beach? Almost. When play resumed, Williams made the world's top-ranked woman look like a beginner, beating nemesis Justine Henin, 6-2, 6-0, yesterday in the quarterfinals of the Sony Ericsson Open at Key Biscayne, Fla.

Williams won the final 10 games by playing nearly flawless tennis, 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."

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

In the men's draw, No. 2-seeded Rafael Nadal swept No. 16 Paul-Henri Mathieu, 6-4, 6-4, and No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko beat wild card Mario Ancic, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, to reach the quarterfinals.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

FRESNO OPENS AT RUTGERS

Fresno State will open the 2008 football season with a labor Day game at Rutgers after Kansas State decided to cancel the final game in a three-game series with the Bulldogs.

Fresno State will take on the Scarlet Knights in a nationally televised game on ESPN on Sept. 1. It marks Fresno State's first game ever against a Big East team.

The Bulldogs were previously scheduled to open the season at UCLA. Now that game will be played at the Rose Bowl in Sept. 27. The game at Kansas State was scheduled on Sept. 6.

NFL

DEFENSE GOES HIGH TECH

Taking another technological step forward, NFL owners approved a communication device for defenses yesterday at their meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

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.

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

The owners also tabled discussion of a rule banning a player's hair from flowing over the nameplate and number on the back of the uniform.