Serena Williams eases past Jelena Jankovic in Cincinnati

Serena Williams took less than an hour to beat Jelena Jankovic in straight sets in the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Open on Friday evening.

Jankovic was immediately on the back foot as she had to save two break points in the opening game, but Williams took her third opportunity to race into the lead.

The Serbian only managed to hold serve once in the first as a dominant Williams dictated the match with her baseline hitting, and the world number one went on to take the set by a 6-1 scoreline.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion did not have things all her own way in the second as Jankovic battled into a 2-1 lead, but Williams won five of the next six games to wrap up victory in 59 minutes.

Williams will play 12th seed Caroline Wozniacki in the semi-finals of the tournament.