Paris: World No. 2 Serena Williams took advantage of Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak's lack of big stage experience to hammer her 6-1, 6-2 on Monday to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open.
The calm nature of the match contrasted starkly with the American's ill-tempered encounter in the previous round which ended with her labelling her opponent a 'cheat' following a dispute over a point.
The 10-times Grand Slam champion was barely bothered by 24th seed Wozniak, racing through the opening set in 23 minutes and said she sensed the Canadian was not used playing on the main showcourt.
"After I got off to such a quick start, I realised that maybe she hadn't played on Centre Court yet," she told a news conference. "Maybe she hadn't had the experience in big matches in grand slams where there is a chance for either player who won to get into the quarter-finals."
Wozniak agreed with her assessment.
"It's my first time on Philippe Chatrier. Emotions get involved and you just get tight and you can't play really your game, so it's tough," she said. "I was like a rock. I couldn't let go on my shots and play my game."
It took Serena just half an hour to clinch the second, wrapping up victory on her second match point when Wozniak netted a service return.
"I feel like it was my most focused match so far," said Serena, who berated herself for a "junior tennis" display in her first round match when she needed three sets and nine match points to stamp out Czech Klara Zakopalova's challenge.
The 2002 champion will next face in-form Russian seventh seed Svetlana Kuznetsova and was quick to install herself as the underdog.
"She's playing unbelievable on clay. I think she's been doing really, really good in this tournament, as well," said Serena, at 27 the oldest woman left in the draw. "Honestly, I feel like I have nothing to lose. She's an excellent clay court player, so it'll be fun."
Stiff test
Seventh seed Svetlana Kuznetsova survived her stiffest test yet to beat Pole Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 and book a French Open quarter-final date with Serena.
The former US Open champion, who had lost only 11 games at these championships until this match, clinched the first set when Radwanska clipped the Russian's delivery with her outstretched racket but could not return it.
The second set was a different story as the 12th seeded Pole whizzed through it, hitting a beautiful lob that Kuznetsova could only watch sail over her and making the most of the Russian's temporary lapse in concentration.
Kuznetsova, a steely glint in her eyes, reverted in the third set to the lethal forehands that featured so prominently in her previous matches and a shell-shocked Radwanska surrendered with a mis-hit service return after one hour 42 minutes.
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