Defending champion and top seed Serena Williams motored into the quarter-finals of the women’s singles at Wimbledon on Monday, crushing Russian 15th seed Elena Dementieva 6-2, 6-2.
Barring Serena’s path to the semis are US eighth seed Jennifer Capriati or Russian 10th seed Anastasia Myskina.
Serena, who is bidding for a fifth Grand Slam title in six events, romped into a 4-0 lead in just nine minutes but then her hitting became somewhat erratic, and Dementieva gratefully held before a barrelling forehand which wrong footed the American, saw her break back in the sixth game.
But the champion broke back immediately to put the pressure right back on the 21-year-old from Moscow and wrapped up the set in only 22min.
Serena had a trio of break points at the start of the second set, missed all three then squandered three more before netting from close range to fall a game behind.
She then had to recover from 0-30 to bring through her next serve but the 21-year-old’s extra power gave her another gear as she raced to three more break points before world number 16 Dementieva chopped into the net to drop serve to love.
Dementieva pulled out a neat stop volley as she saved one of three break points with Serena leading 4-2 but a crunching forehand from the favourite left the Russian on the verge of defeat.
Serving for victory Serena, who powered down six aces, raced to triple match point, double faulted and looked disgusted with herself.
She then glared as a crosscourt drive landed wide but then accepted the win third time round when Dementieva sent a doublefisted effort wide at full stretch after 51min. – Sapa-AFP