A ruthless Serena Williams charged into the US Open
quarter-finals today with a 6-0 6-0 win over Czech Andrea
Hlavackova after Roger Federer was gifted a spot in the last eight
when Mardy Fish withdrew from the year's final grand slam.
Showing no mercy against her 82nd ranked opponent, Williams sent an
ominous warning of her intention to add the U.S. Open title to her
recent wins at Wimbledon and the London Olympics with a rare
'double bagel' victory in 57 minutes.
"Andrea played really well today even though it was love and love,"
Williams said in a courtside interview. "I think I played really
well today. I haven't played like that all tournament."
Williams won the last of her three US Open titles in 2008 but, on
the evidence of her performances so far, a fourth title at Flushing
Meadows appears well within her reach although her toughest
challenges await.
The American's next opponent is Serbia's Ana Ivanovic, a former
world number one who has rediscovered her best after a lean few
years where she struggled with injuries.
Ivanovic advanced today with an impressive 6-0 6-4 victory over
Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova but said she would have to raise her
game even higher to compete with Williams.
"She's obviously a great player and she's been playing the best out
of all the girls on tour at the moment," said Ivanovic.
"Her serve is definitely her strength. I really have to be sharp
from the first moment on and stay aggressive and stay in the
moment."
Federer advanced to his 34th consecutive grand slam quarter-final
without hitting a ball on the Labor Day holiday in the United
States as Fish pulled with an undisclosed health issues.
"I am really sorry for Mardy," Federer said. "I just want to wish
him a speedy recovery. We all want to see him back on tour
soon."
The pair were due to clash in the fourth round but Fish, who
missed part of the season because of a heart ailment and had
treatment for an unspecified illness after his gruelling third
round win over Gilles Simon on Saturday night, announced he was
pulling out.
"I regret that I have to withdraw from the US Open for
precautionary measures," the American said in a statement. "I was
reluctant to do so, but am following medical advisement. I had a
good summer and look forward to resuming my tournament schedule in
the fall."
World number one Federer has not dropped a set in this year's US
Open at Flushing Meadows. The 31-year-old Swiss will now play Tomas
Berdych after the Czech sixth seed thrashed Spain's Nicolas Almagro
7-6 6-4 6-1.
Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, the women's second seed, became the
highest ranked casualty of the tournament when she lost to Roberta
Vinci 6-1 6-4.
The Italian will now play doubles partner and best friend Sara
Errani after she upset Germany's Angelique Kerber 7-6 6-3.
Croatia's big-serving Marin Cilic defeated Slovakia's Martin Klizan
7-5 6-4 6-0. He will play either Olympic champion Andy Murray or
Canadian Milos Raonic, whose night-time centre court match was
brought forward to offset the threat of rain
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