• Cincinnati Masters

Serena cruises into Cincinnati quarter-finals

Serena Williams has not lost a match on US courts in 2014 © Getty Images

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Serena Williams dropped just four games to beat Flavia Pennetta and book her place in the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Masters.

The world No.1 cruised to a 6-2 6-2 victory to extend her record on the courts of the USA to 12-0 this year following wins in Miami and Stanford.

Williams made a quick start to the match by taking the first three games. She then took the first five games of the second set to reach the last eight without any problems.

Cincinnati Masters quarter-finals

Ana Ivanovic has found her rhythm this season © Getty Images

• Serena Williams v Jelena Jankovic

  Aga Radwanska v Caroline Wozniacki

  Ana Ivanovic v Elina Svitolina

  Maria Sharapova v Simona Halep

"I got the early break, and I didn't let go," Williams said. "That's what I wanted to do. She can try and come back. She tried to come back, I wanted to stay focused."

Maria Sharapova also reached the quarter-finals thanks to a 6-4 7-6(2) victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and will face second seed Simona Halep in a repeat of the French Open final earlier this year. Halep edged Lucie Safarova 6-4 7-5.

"I feel good, because today was much better than my first match here," Halep said.

"It was a tough match because Lucie is playing very well at the moment. She's lefty, and it's not easy to adapt my game to that.

"I'm happy that I could win the second set also, because she was up 5-4. It's always a great feeling when you win a tight match."

Jelena Jankovic also moved on with a 7-6(4) 6-4 victory over Sloane Stephens, and Ana Ivanovic advanced with a 6-2 2-6 6-3 win over Svetlana Kuznetsova. Ivanovic will face Elina Svitolina, who came from behind to beat Carla Suarez Navarro 4-6 6-4 6-4.

Agnieszka Radwanska routed Sabine Lisicki 6-1 6-1, while Caroline Wozniacki reached the quarter-finals for the second straight time and third overall with a 7-5 6-2 victory over Angelique Kerber.

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