Serena Williams looked much more like her old assured self in marching into the semi-finals at the French Open earlier today. The American number one seed wasted little effort in eliminating Sara Errani from the tournament in straight sets. She goes on to face the surprise package in the last-four in the shape of Timea Bacsinszky, after the Swiss lady edged out Belgium's Alison van Uytvanck in the remaining quarter-final.
Straight sets win for Serena
Against the beaten finalist from 2012, Serena breezed through the first set in 27 minutes for the loss of just one game.
Errani had pushed the younger Williams sister to the deciding set in their Fed Cup play-off singles match earlier this year, but was unable to recreate the intensity of her Brindisi efforts today. Although the second set was far more competitive, the 17th seed ultimately went out 6-1 6-3 in just over one hour of play.
Surprise quarter-final match-up
Bacsinszky, seeded 23, and the unseeded van Uytvanck were not expected to feature so deep into the women's draw. They have both taken their opportunity to progress while other more favoured players have stumbled. In a close match it was the Swiss 25-year-old who came through 6-4 7-5.
Bacsinszky on the way up
With 3 WTA tour titles to her name during her Tennis career, two of which were won this year in Mexico, Bacsinszky looks to be intent on improving her ranking still further.
By reaching the semi-finals this week she has already achieved her best finish at a Grand Slam event, yet one senses that she still has far more than she wants to achieve in the game.
Serena looking for third title in France
Ms Williams is looking to regain the title she won back in 2013, a victory that sandwiched two successes for Maria Sharapova.
With the Russian number two seed already out of the tournament, Serena has become the odds-on favourite to take just her third French Open. Indeed of all the Grand Slams, Paris has traditionally been the one she has found most difficulty in winning and has rather surprisingly only made the final at Roland Garros twice during her illustrious career.
Expectation that top seed will reach the final
As with most players that the top seed plays on the tour, Serena should have the firepower to overcome her Swiss semi-final opponent, who has yet to take a set off her in two previous encounters. However, after defeating current Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova twice already this year, Bacsinszky is unlikely to fear the American's power game as many have done before her. After defeating the same opponent at the quarter-finals in Indian Wells this year, Serena should be well aware of what to expect from her opponent's game.