Saturday, 5 October 2013 00:00
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REUTERS: Serena Williams brushed aside former world number one Caroline Wozniacki 6-1 6-4 to advance to the semi-finals of the China Open on Friday.
The top-seeded American, who has won more than $9 million in prize money in 2013, broke Wozniacki twice to breeze through the first set in 26 minutes. Williams continued her dominance in the second set, breaking Wozniacki in the first and third games to go up 4-0. The Dane fought back, closing the gap to 4-3, but it was not enough to stop Williams from winning the set 6-4.Third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska will be up next for Williams, who took her number of wins in 2013 to 71.
Ninth-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova broke the hearts of the crowd when she rallied to beat home favourite Li Na, seeded fourth, 4-6 6-2 6-4.
The former Wimbledon champion set up a semi-final date with Serbian Jelena Jankovic, who won a two-hour, 36-minute match against Czech Lucie Safarova 6-7(3) 6-4 6-4.
Radwanska, who has never beaten Williams in their previous six meetings, defeated seventh-seeded German Angelique Kerber 7-6(7) 6-4 to complete the semi-final line-up.
