Serena Williams was in no mood to mess around on Friday as she routed ex-world No1 Jelena Jankovic in 58 minutes to reach the semi-finals in Cincinnati – a tournament she has never won before.
The American world No1, who fell to her sister Venus Williams in the semi-finals in Montreal last week, stormed into the last four with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Jankovic.
Williams dropped just three points on serve in a 27-minute opening set, and barring an early break by Jankovic in the second, was untroubled by the Serb, who has now lost to the top seed 10 times in 14 meetings.
“She’s beaten me several times, so I knew today I just had to be focused and do the best I could,” Williams said of Jankovic. “It didn’t seem fast. I was just trying my best.”
Earlier on Centre Court, Julien Benneteau reached his first-ever ATP Masters 1000 semi-final with a stunning 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 upset over Stanislas Wawrinka to become the first Frenchman to make the last four in Cincinnati since Arnaud Clement 14 years ago.
Benneteau owns a bizarre record of no wins in nine career finals reached on tour but moved one step closer to a maiden title with his 80-minute victory over world No4 Wawrinka.
It was Benneteau’s second top-10 win of the season, having eliminated world No10 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Indian Wells en route to the quarters. He had to save two match points in his first round match this week before beating Blaz Rola.
“It’s my best result in a Masters 1000,” said Benneteau, 32. “The Masters 1000 are very, very difficult tournaments because the cut is like 40, 45. You don’t have a lot of opportunities to make a very big result.”
Milos Raonic reached his second ATP Masters semi-final of the season with a 6-1, 6-0 drubbing of Fabio Fognini, who foot-faulted on second serve facing a match point to lose in 57 minutes.
Meanwhile, the decision on Rafael Nadal’s participation in the US Open has been postponed until early next week, according to the Spaniard’s management.
The world No2 has been sidelined with a right wrist injury and was meant to find out his fate yesterday but Nadal will have to wait some more before knowing whether he’ll be able to defend his title in New York come August 25.
“Decision on US Open participation for @RafaelNadal postponed till early next week. No decision today or tomorrow,” tweeted a spokesman for B1PR, the Spanish star’s representatives.
Nadal was forced to pull out of Toronto and the ongoing Cincinnati Masters with a wrist injury at the end of last month.
The 28-year-old winner of 14 Grand Slam titles said he had hurt his right wrist in training and needed up to three weeks rest.