Serena Williams advances into Cincinnati semi-finals

I knew it was going to be a big test for me today, and I’m really happy I was able to get through that. “She knows what to do”. She’s won all three majors, has been beaten only twice (she’s lost a couple others via walkover) and hasn’t lost a final since the 2013 Cincinnati Masters.

She stormed into the round of 16 with a 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-2 scoreline.

The 21-time Grand Slam champion will next face Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who claimed 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 victory over Lucie Safarova, for the semi-finals berth.

“I haven’t served much since the French Open because I’ve had an elbow problem”, Williams said. And while Murray survived being down the opening set and a couple of games in the third, he called upon his experience to allow Dimitrov to basically beat himself.

Serena Williams dominated Karin Knapp to claim her 45th win of the year as she cruised into the quarter-finals of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. Just after the match during an interview with ESPN’s Brad Gilbert it became clear that while her body is in Cincinnati, Williams’ spirit may be already in New York. But the American didn’t cave in, getting the break back and winning the final three games to force the match into a deciding third set. But once again, Williams was too strong for the WTA Rising Star to withstand, holding for 5-4. Fighting off four break points to hold for 4-all, Svitolina was holding her own.

The world number one struggled with her serve for a second consecutive match and committed 34 unforced errors but moved one win away from defending her title. “I managed to play good tennis when I needed it”.

The 33-year-old Serena Williams claimed a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 win to progress to the next round, the BBC reports. Could Svitolina use this minor blip in Williams’ serve to her advantage? “Now I’m playing better”. Returning, just trying to play better every game.