Capriati opened the match with four aces and her Spanish opponent managed only 10 points in the entire first set.

The American then confessed she is not looking ahead to the final week but concentrating on one match at a time.

Capriati said: “I look at how everybody’s playing but the focus is just on how I’m playing and the rest I really can’t control.”

Capriati now meets Russia’s Vera Douchevina who defeated Marion Bartoli in three sets.

Serena Williams again wore a controversial outfit as she faced fellow American Lindsay Lee-Waters.

The 22-year-old, who is aiming for her seventh Grand Slam title but the first since Wimbledon last season, defeated Lee-Waters 6-4 6-3 to reach the third round.

“I don’t think I played as well as I did the other night,” Williams said. “I just think it was enough today, and obviously with each round I want to get better.”

Earlier, Australia’s Alicia Molik, the 17th seed, was eliminated by Daniela Hantuchova.

The Slovakian prevailed 6-4 6-3 to end the hopes of Molik on the third day of the final Grand Slam of 2004.

Molik won the bronze medal at the Athens Olympics but was unable to maintain her good recent form at Flushing.

Two more seeds fared better early on Wednesday with Switzerland’s 15th-ranked Patty Schnyder eclipsing Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic 6-4 6-1.

Japan’s Ai Sugiyama, seeded 12th, was also convincing as she dispatched Gisela Dulko of Argentina 6-2 6-4.

The unseeded Jelena Kostanic of Croatia progressed at the expense of Russia’s Eugenia Linetskaya 6-4 6-3.

Second seed Amelie Mauresmo of France battled back from a set down for a 3-6 6-2 6-2 victory over Julia Vakulenko of the Ukraine to reach the third round for the sixth time in as many Open appearances.

Also, sixth seed Elena Dementieva of Russia and 10th-seeded compatriot Vera Zvonareva advanced with straight-sets wins.