World number one Serena Williams proved why she is often referred to as the "Greatest of all Time" on a humid Friday evening in The Eternal City, needing just 51 minutes roll past ninth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 6-0, and book her place in the semifinals of the 2016 Internazionali BNL d'Italia. Williams will now play Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu for a spot in the showpiece, where compatriot Madison Keys and Garbiñe Muguruza will battle it out for the other spot.
Williams Powers Through Opening Set
After winning the toss, Kuznetsova elected to receive, much like in her previous meeting against Williams, where the Russian dethroned the American in front of her own fans at the Miami Open one and a half months ago. However, that would prove to be her first unforced error of the evening, and one that worked in the opposite favour, this time around.
With some calm and composed play to begin the match, Williams' lethal combination of power and precision was already beginning to trouble Kuznetsova, as the world number one won eight of the first nine points to take an emphatic 2-0 lead. From there, the American characteristically consolidated the break with some stunning winners off both wings, making early signs of a second successive victory over the world number one for Kuznetsova look dire.
Kuznetsova, a former French Open champion and two-time finalist at the Foro Italico, was not prepared to not let an early blip faze her concentration, the Russian managing to get on the board a game later to reduce the deficit to 1-3.
From there, the pair exchanged holds until eighth game when Williams, a game away from the set, pounced. With the help of some great point construction to put Kuznetsova on the back foot, Williams clinched the opening set 6-2 as a wayward forehand from the Russian sailed past the baseline. With a big shout of "come on," the world number one was within a set of a berth in the last four.
Williams Mercilessly Books Place in Last Four
Picking up right where she left off, Williams continued to roll past Kuznetsova with some wondrous serving, and a clever volley to end the first game of the second set. With the world number one sending a clear statement of intent that she meant all-business, Kuznetsova struggled to cope with Williams' pace, let alone get a foothold in the match. As a result, the top seed would go on to break for a third time with a sizzling crosscourt forehand winner to take a 2-0 lead.
Despite what initially appeared to be a fight back from Kuznetsova, Williams remained unscathed, saving a trio of break points with some massive serving en route to consolidating the break. After surviving her first real significant test on serve, the world number one continued to assert her authority from the receiving end, another sizzling crosscourt forehand earning her the double break.
From there, Williams consolidated the double break to 15 to put herself within one game of a place in the last four. With Kuznetsova seemingly unable to find any answers, the world number one had little trouble sealing the victory a game later; a double fault from the Russian handing the American a comprehensive 6-2, 6-0 victory in 51 minutes.