To complement her booming serve and slingshot returns, Serena Williams even tried a left-handed forehand yesterday as she advanced to the Olympic semi-finals.
She lost that rally but won most of the other points in a 6-0, 6-3 win over former No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.
Williams, seeking the first singles medal of her career, has lost only 13 games through four rounds. She’ll face top-ranked Victoria Azarenka of Belarus today for a berth in the final.
Playing on sun-splashed Court 1, Williams swept the first seven games against the No. 8-seeded Wozniacki. Williams kept one exchange going with a desperation, off-balance left-handed shot.
“I haven’t practiced it in a couple of months,” she said. “I wish I could have hit it better.”
Otherwise, Williams stuck to the basics. She lost only nine points on her serve, never faced a break point and hit 30 winners to seven for Wozniacki.
“I felt a little off today, believe it or not,” Williams said. “But I’m really, really hard to please.”
Williams has won 11 consecutive matches this summer at the All England Club, including her fifth Wimbledon title a month ago.
Azarenka beat No. 7 Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-4, 7-5 under the Centre Court roof. Kerber eliminated Venus Williams on Wednesday, but Azarenka feasted on the left-hander’s serve, winning more than half of those points and breaking six times.
Second-seeded Novak Djokovic advanced by beating No. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1, 7-5. Djokovic’s opponent in the semi-finals will be British hopeful Andy Murray, who delighted a crowd that included Prince William and wife Kate by beating No. 11 Nicolas Almagro of Spain, 6-4, 6-1.
Murray, who is seeded No. 3, was runner-up to Roger Federer at Wimbledon last month. Djokovic won Wimbledon in 2011 and was a bronze medalist in Beijing in 2008.
Americans Bob and Mike Bryan advanced to doubles semi-finals by edging Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram of Israel, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (10). Neither team managed a service break, and the Bryans sealed the victory on their fourth match point when Erlich double-faulted into the net.
The twins, who are top-seeded, won the bronze in 2008. Both are also entered in mixed doubles.