US OPEN
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Date: 31 August - 13 September
BBC coverage: Live text commentaries on the website from 1600 BST each day, regular updates on 5 live, full commentary on 5 live sports extra in week two, both finals on 5 live
**Defending champion Serena Williams sealed her place in the US Open quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-0 demolition of Daniela Hantuchova.**The American, who plays in the doubles with sister Venus later on Sunday, completed the first half of her day’s work in just over an hour.
Her Slovak opponent, seeded 22, offered some initial resistance before being broken in the first set’s sixth game.
From that point she could not muster another game and slumped to defeat.
Williams will play either Vera Zvonareva or Flavia Pennetta in the last eight.
606: DEBATE
“This tournament is Serena’s to lose now”
slushington
The American had met Hantuchova at the same stage in this year’s Wimbledon where she prevailed 6-3 6-1.
The 22nd seed initially looked determined to make more of a fight of it this time around, and she more than held her own in the opening exchanges.
But, after saving a first break point with a pair of precise shots that stretched Williams across the baseline, a forehand floated long to give the favourite a 4-2 lead.
The power of the world number two’s groundstrokes became increasingly telling and, as errors crept into Hantuchova’s play, the first set disappeared with another break from Williams.
Hantuchova found herself pushed deeper and deeper throughout the second as Williams outmanoeuvred her through a combination of brute force and clever angles.
Already destined for defeat, the 26-year-old came within a point of retaining her serve late on, but Williams denied her even that scant consolation in an impressive performance.
In the junior girl’s singles Britain’s Laura Robson opened her campaign with a 6-0 6-1 win over Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur.
The 15-year-old, who missed out on a place in the main draw after a narrow defeat in the final round of qualifying, wrapped up victory in 43 minutes.