It doesn't look like anybody is going to stop Serena Williams. The American put in another thoroughly dominating performance against former world number one Ana Ivanovic en route to a 6-1, 6-3 win to enter the semi-finals of the U.S. Open in New York.
Maria Sharapova overcame a rain delay to score a hard-fought three-set victory over Mario Bartoli, while Sara Errani ousted best friend and doubles partner Roberta Vinci.
Ivanovic came into the match, knowing she would need to be at her best and constantly hit aggressive shots to stand any chance of pulling off a victory against the Wimbledon and Olympic champion. It is easier said than done though. The 30-year-old home favorite slammed 12 aces and hit 26 winners overall as she continued her march in the final grand Slam without dropping a single set.
"She was hardly missing," a resigned Ivanovic said after the match.
"I felt much better moving," Williams added. "I was excited I'm moving faster. Feels good. I felt solid.
"I feel like I'm going to get more focused and serious and start playing Serena tennis in the next couple of rounds, if I get to play two rounds. That's my goal."
Williams will face Errani in the final-four match, after the Italian beat her compatriot Vinci 6-2, 6-4. "Yeah, it was very difficult match, I think," Errani said about facing her friend. "Quarterfinal with your best friend, of course, is difficult.
"We know each other very well. We played together many times. So was also strange to see her on the other side of the net. Normally also when you walk on the court, we go together, we speak. Today was a bit strange, but sometimes it happens."
The other semi-final will witness a grunt-fest of epic proportions after Sharapova came from a set down to get past Bartoli 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinal match which had been postponed from Tuesday; the Russian will now face world number one Victoria Azarenka in the semis.
"I think the rain delay gave me some time to think about things," Sharapova, who announced her break up from fiancé Sasha Vujacic, said after her match. "I came out so flat yesterday, and she was playing so well.
"I just played a bad four games, but I knew the match wasn't over and had a chance to come back and turn things around."
Sharapova will look to gain a measure of revenge in the semis after Azarenka crushed the French Open champion 6-3, 6-0 in the Australian Open final at the beginning of the year.
