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Serena drubs Radwanska

Last Updated 24 October 2013, 18:14 IST

World number one Serena Williams beat Agnieszka Radwanska for the eighth time in eight matches to move ominously towards the semifinals of the WTA Championships on Wednesday.

The American was again too strong for the Pole in a 6-2, 6-4 victory to stay in charge of Red Group with one more round-robin match to come against Petra Kvitova, another player to whom she has never suffered defeat.

"Radwanska definitely played pretty well. Am I happy? I guess. I'm happy to still be alive in the tournament. But, you know, I can always look to improve on some things," Williams told reporters after her 75th match win of a dominant year.

Radwanska, whose only set against the 32-year-old Williams came in the 2012 Wimbledon final, is unlikely to survive the group after two defeats so far at the season-ender.

Earlier in White Group, Serbia's Jelena Jankovic beat second seed Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-3, aided by 40 unforced errors from her erratic opponent.

Former world number one Jankovic had lost her last 17 matches against players ranked in the top four.

Federer rallies

Meanwhile at the Basel Indoors, Roger Federer rallied past Denis Istomin 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the second round on Wednesday.

Federer conceded a set for the first time in five matches against the 48th-ranked Istomin, and rallied from 0-40 down in his first service game in the third.

The seventh-ranked Federer converted his first match point with an angled backhand volley.

The Swiss ace’s chances of qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals in London improved when Richard Gasquet lost 6-4, 6-2 to fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra in a first-round match.

In other matches, Paul-Henri Mathieu of France beat Denis Kudla of the United States 6-4, 7-5, and Canadian Vasek Pospisil won 6-4, 6-4 against Robin Haase of the Netherlands.
Eighth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov beat Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-3. The Bulgarian is on course to meet Federer in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Federer's struggles with back injuries and unheralded opponents since March have meant he hasn't secured a place in the eight-man London final next month.

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(Published 24 October 2013, 18:14 IST)

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