Melbourne - Venus Williams might have been driven to distraction at the Australian Open, but the tribulations were nothing compared to the American's trials experienced on Melbourne roads.

Williams has been trying her luck with left-lane driving and gaining some experience in a city where tram lines make for difficult conditions, as they say on court.

"I drive everywhere," said the 28-year-old with seven Grand Slam titles. "I drive to Fitzroy. I've driven to St Kilda. I've driven downtown.

Melbourne - Third seed Dinara Safina stayed on course for a shot next week at the number one WTA ranking, gaining a Friday win for the Safin family hours before her brother Marat was to face Roger Federer.

Safina, the losing finalist at the French Open, reached the fourth round in Melbourne for the first time in her career, posting a 6-2 6-2 win over Kaia Kanepi.

Safina is one of three women chasing Jelena Jankovic in the rankings with a title next Sunday enough to assure the 22-year-old of the breakthrough top spot.

Sydney, Jan. 22 : The Australian government on Thursday warned Zimbabwe cricket boss Peter Chingoka that he must have good grounds to enter the country to attend an International Cricket Council conference.

Chingoka is one of 254 Zimbabweans not permitted entry into Australia because of their links with the Robert Mugabe regime.

Chingoka''s position as chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) means he is required to attend the two-day conference of directors that begins January 31.

Melbourne - Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro pulled off a major giant-killing act on Thursday with a stunning 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 upset of seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams in the second round of the Australian Open.

The win, which included a 63-minute final set, marked the biggest career victory for the 20 year-old ranked 46th, whose total career prize money amounts to 348,000 dollars.

Multi-millionairess Williams, winner of 39 singles titles and 22 million dollars, served for victory in the third set leading 5-3.

Melbourne, Jan 22 : After putting her US house on the market for more than a year, Hollywood actress Olivia Newton-John has finally sold it for more than 14 million dollars.

The Mediterranean-style mansion consists of 4 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms, a pool, a spa and a two-bedroom guesthouse, reports The Daily Telegraph.

Newton bought the house in 2004 for 8.8million dollars from the widow of actor Charles Bronson.

Sydney - A Romanian tourist lost for six days in the 40-degree heat of Australia's Red Centre used his mobile phone to ring home and arrange a helicopter rescue, news reports said Thursday.

He set off last week on a 45-kilometre trek from Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock, but ran out of water within three days of his Northern Territory trip.

He turned back and rang home when he was in mobile range, giving his coordinates from his Global Positioning System. Australian police were alerted and a helicopter dispatched.