• Rogers Cup

Serena safely through in Toronto

ESPN staff
August 9, 2013
Williams cruised past Flipkens © Getty Images
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Serena Williams dropped just three games as the the world No. 1 cruised into the Rogers Cup quarter-finals with a crushing 6-0 6-3 victory over Kirsten Flipkens.

Williams' thrashing of the Belgian 13th seed means she will next face Magdalena Rybarikova, who progressed after her opponent, Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli, retired with an abdominal injury.

"When you play such a high-ranked player, you have to go in there with the mindset of do the best you can before they can step all over you," said Williams.

Bartoli, meanwhile, blamed fatigue for her withdrawal.

"I can't be winning after winning after winning without feeling a kind of exhaustion," the 28-year-old said.

"The pain is so large and we can't really say right now exactly if there is a tear at some point, or if it's just like a huge tightness."

Third seed Agnieszka Radwanska fought back from a break down in the second set to beat American 14th seed Sloane Stephens 6-1 7-6 (2).

The Pole goes on to face fifth seed Sara Errani after the Italian edged France's Alize Cornet 7-5 7-6 (3).

Fourth seed Li Na fought back from a three-games down in the final set for a 3-6 6-1 7-6 (5) win against Ana Ivanovic.

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