Serena storms into semis

Serena Williams bulldozed her way into the last four after defeating Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 6-0 in just 51 minutes on Centre Court. Her victory keeps alive the prospect of a third all-Williams Wimbledon final after sister Venus won earlier in the day.

It was by some distance the most impressive performance from Serena so far at this year's tournament. The 19-year-old Radwanska's game plan had been to deny Williams the pace on which she thrives and to concentrate instead on placement in the hope of keeping the two-time Wimbledon champion on the move.

It was a strategy which had its moments in the first set but which was obliterated when Serena upped her own game to full volume. A demoralised Radwanska was blasted off court by a barrage of 11 aces, all of them comfortably in excess of 100 miles an hour, and another 20 unreturned serves.

On the hottest day of the tournament so far, Radwanska managed to look cool in a white visor and played coolly, too, in the early rallies, moving Williams around court with well-directed groundstrokes. She overcame the loss of her own serve in the third game by breaking back immediately and then moving ahead 3-2. It was the only time in the match she would be in front.

Serena cranked up the power game with three aces in four points and broke Radwanska for the second time with a crunching backhand service return, standing well inside the baseline to receive the Pole's delivery.

Radwanska's best hope lay in wrong-footing Williams but she was being permitted less and less time to do so as Serena, sensing a wilting opponent, served out for the first set in 32 minutes.

Radwanska, who won the Eastbourne tournament immediately preceding Wimbledon and has made the transition from junior to senior tennis in admirable fashion, needed to get away to a good start in the second set, but was never given the slightest chance of doing so.

She was broken at once and with Williams walloping aces and service winners seemingly at will the second set rapidly became an embarrassing rout, lasting a mere 19 minutes.