Paris, France (AHN) - It didn't take long for the American women to nearly join their male counterparts at the 2007 French Open.

By the end of Friday's third round, only one American player remained in the prestigious Grand Slam - not surprisingly - Serena Williams

Williams, America's best player, either male or female, blitzed Dutch teenager Michaella Krajicek 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the next round while sister Venus was beaten in a competitive match by fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 earlier in the day.

Following the easy win, Williams sounded like her best tennis is yet to come.

"I didn't think I played well at all," she said. "I'm trying not to peak too soon, but at some point I need to start playing better."

Williams jumped all over Krajicek from the start taking a quick 3-0 lead in the first set before pounding Krajicek unmercifully for the rest of the match with a dizzying array of groundstrokes.

Venus also said her younger sister's best tennis should be forthcoming soon.

"She's playing great tennis, and she plays well in a crunch," Venus Williams said. "And I think the longer she's in the tournament, the better she'll play."

As for her own loss, the elder Williams insists she is pleased with her progress after battling numerous injuries recently.

"Am I discouraged? No, not at all. I feel like I'm playing well, actually," Venus Williams said after making 49 unforced errors, 23 more than Jankovic. "I don't feel like she came out there and really beat me. I just feel like at times she was a little more patient than I was."

Jankovic, a vastly improved player from Serbia, dominated her service games, winning 20 of 2 points including the first 10.

"I never had it in my mind that I was going to lose the match," said Jankovic, who also won a clay-court tune-up event in Rome last month.

Williams battled back and took the second ser but Jankovic, a semifinalist at the 2006 U.S. Open, broke Williams three times in the third and deciding set.

"Each time you play the Williams sisters, it's really a tough game," Jankovic said. "And you have to be on the top of your level if you want to beat them. They are the best athletes in the women's game."

Williams said the final set was draining for her physically.

"The third set went a little bit faster than what I expected," Williams said. "I felt a little bit slow ... I couldn't get my feet where I wanted them."

Two-time French Open defending champion, Justine Henin, the tournament's top seed, also advanced on her 25th birthday by beating Italy's Mara Santangelo 6-2, 6-3.

The Czech Republic's Nicole Vaidisova, seeded sixth, beat 27th-seeded Samantha Stosur of Australia 6-4, 6-4.

No. 20 Sybille Bammer of Austria beat 16th-seeded Li Na of China 6-4, 6-3 and No. 12 Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia also advanced.

No. 13 seed Elena Dementieva of Russia lost to No. 18 Marion Bartoli of France 6-2, 6-4.