TENNIS – Serena Williams advanced to the last eight of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia where she will face Shuai Zhang, after beating compatriot Varvara Lepchenko 6-1 6-2.
The first seed and defending champion had very little to bother her tonight, apart from the wind of the Roman night that gusted strong at times.
Lepchenko, who reached this third round by giving no chances to Sloane Stephens, could do little to contrast the power of the youngest of the Williams sisters.
The world number one served well and returned even better, keeping control of the game thoroughly for the majority of points.
The former Uzbek played well and at times could find sensational solutions to break out of the grip of Williams’s game, but this kind of the plan could not succeed against such a sound opponent.
Williams gave little to no chances to her opponent when serving, but forced Lepchenko out of her comfort zone even behind her serve.
The world number 48 had never been broken in Rome before tonight, when she lost her serve in five occasions.
After two games played well from both players behind their serve, Williams was the first one to find the break of lead.
Lepchenko had several break chances in the following game, but the reigning champion clinically erased all of them with stunning points, before flying to a comfortable first set win.
Williams won the sixth consecutive game by starting the second set with a break, but her opponent reacted fiercely and immediately broke back.
Lepchenko found a good hold, which forced the world number one to raise her game again, something that she did immediately and with no reply.
Williams won five straight games and with an impressive performance, she closed the match, looking as if the injury that forced her out of Madrid is fully behind.
If this is proved to be right, it will be hard for anyone to stop her from winning the title for the second time in a row.
