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Serena progress

Serena Williams romps into French Open quarter-finals and shrugs off fears of playing four matches in just four days

World No1 is fighting fit after smashing Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 6-1 6-1 to progress at Roland Garros

Serena Williams

SERENA WILLIAMS romped into the French Open quarter-finals – and has no fears of playing four matches in four days.

The top-seeded world No1 beat Ukraine's 18th-seeded Elina Svitolina 6-1 6-1 in another rain-delayed match.

 Serena Williams cruised past Elina Svitolina to claim semi-final spot
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Serena Williams cruised past Elina Svitolina to claim semi-final spotCredit: Getty Images
 Williams powered past her Ukrainian opponent in two simple sets
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Williams powered past her Ukrainian opponent in two simple setsCredit: EPA

And Williams, 34, says returning to action three times in the next three days due to the storm-ravaged schedule would be no problem.

After taking her Roland Garros record to 18 sets in a row, she said: "Four in a row? When we play regular tournaments you play four, five matches in a row. It's what happen.

"It's something you just get used to. It's totally fine I think for me and for everyone."

 Williams will face Kazakhstan’s unseeded Yulia Putintseva in the next round
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Williams will face Kazakhstan’s unseeded Yulia Putintseva in the next roundCredit: Reuters

 

Perhaps beating Svitolina in just 62 minutes gives Williams as much energy and enthusiasm mentally as physically.

And next she faces what should be another comfortable opponent Kazakhstan’s unseeded Yulia Putintseva.

Yet the Kazakhstan outsider dumped out Spanish 12th seed Carla Suarez Navarro 7-5 7-5.

 Svitolina could not cope with William's power from the baseline in crushing loss
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Svitolina could not cope with William's power from the baseline in crushing lossCredit: Getty Images

Svitolina struggled with her serve and backhand as she was outpowered and outclassed from the start by Williams, who won the first four games and eased home thereafter

But Serena’s sister Venus, 35, exited 6-2 6-4 to Swiss eighth seed Timea Bacsinszky.

And Dutch blaster Kiki Bertens made it four unseeded players in the women's last eight by ousting American 15th seed Madison Keys 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.