Venus powers past Seles

Second seed Venus Williams stamped hard on the accelerator again today as she careered to another straight sets victory at the French Open, this time over sixth seed Monica Seles.

Clearly intent on reaching the final with the minimum of fuss, American Williams roared into the last four when she beat her compatriot 6-4 6-3 in just 74 minutes.

Since the start of the tournament Williams has spent only four hours 45 minutes on court and has yet to lose a set.

The 21-year-old broke Seles, a three-time Roland Garros winner, twice in the first set to wrap it up in 49 minutes after a 10-minute break for rain.

She relaxed long enough to lose serve in the opening game of the second set, but broke back immediately and never looked back.

Williams said: ‘‘I would love to win this tournament, especially because I am so close now, having qualified into the semis.

‘‘I have always wanted to do well here but it’s just it had never happened before.’’

But she said she was surprised by the ease of today’s win.

‘‘I was expecting a few more longer points but Monica let me get my points easier,’’ she said.

‘‘This was one of the best quarter-finals I have ever played in my career, but Monica did not play well today.’’

Seles conceded that she was well off the boil.

‘‘I struggled today and my top game was definitely not there,’’ she said.

‘‘Venus was just better, and for me it was just one of days when my strokes just are not there.

‘‘With Venus the ball comes so fast, you really have to be on to it if you want to have any chance.’’

Pressed on how much longer she expected to stay on the circuit, Seles replied: ‘‘I don’t know, if I don’t feel like playing or training anymore then I’ll stop.

‘‘It can be tomorrow or in the next three years. But I would definitely say that I have a maximum of five years to play.’’

Williams’s sister Serena joined her in the semis when she swept aside French favourite Mary Pierce 6-1 6-1 in under 50 minutes .