Serena Williams underlined her tag as the favourite for the US Open with a brutal quarter-final win over China’s Wang Qiang in just 44 minutes.

The 37-year-old American broke serve five times and hit 25 winners as she eased to a 6-1 6-0 win over the 18th seed on Arthur Ashe Stadium

Williams, seeded eighth, is chasing a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.

She will face Ukraine’s fifth seed Elina Svitolina, who beat Britain’s Johanna Konta, in the semi-finals.

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“When I play someone who is playing well I have to step up or go home and I’m not ready to go,” said Williams, who earned her 100th singles win at the US Open.

“I knew I needed to come out tonight and play well. I’m feeling good, had a really tough year and I’m still here.

“Physically I’m feeling great and more importantly I’m having fun every time I come out here.”

Williams turns Wang’s first semi-final into nightmare

Six-time US Open champion Williams has not won a Grand Slam title since returning from giving birth to daughter Olympia in September 2017.

She has fallen short of moving level with Australian Margaret Court’s all-time tally with defeats in the past two Wimbledon finals and last year’s US Open showpiece.

Here she has moved serenely through the draw, steamrolling past three of her opponents – including old rival Maria Sharapova – in straight sets.

American 17-year-old Caty McNally is the only player to have tested Williams, trying to push her illustrious opponent around the court in a bid to expose her perceived lack of movement.

And that will be the tactic likely to be adopted by Svitolina, whose relentless returning is the hallmark of her game.

Williams never had that problem against Wang, keeping the points short with her thunderous serves and booming groundstrokes.

Williams dropped just seven points as she raced into a 5-0 lead, Wang avoiding the bagel with a hard-earned hold before another forehand winner from the American clinched the opener in 23 minutes.

Williams won 26 of the first-set points compared to 11 by her opponent, cracking 12 winners and winning 92% of the points when she landed her first serve.

Wang, who had not dropped a set on her way to the last eight, looked completed shell-shocked as she continued to be pummelled by a ruthless Williams in the second set.

The winners continued to flow from the American’s racquet as she did bagel Wang at the second attempt, sealing the shortest completed win of the tournament with another sizzling cross-court forehand.

Wang won just four points in the second set and ended the match without hitting a single winner.

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British number one Johanna Konta missed out on the US Open semi-finals after she was worn down by Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina.

Konta, 28, was unable to impose herself in a 6-4 6-4 defeat on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 16th seed, aiming to complete the set of major semi-final appearances, was forced into errors by 24-year-old Svitolina’s impressive retrieving.

She saved two match points before rock-solid Svitolina served out the win.

Svitolina, the highest seed left in the draw, will play American 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams or China’s Wang Qiang in the last four.

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Konta unable to solve Svitolina problem – but plenty of positives

Despite being outclassed by a superior opponent at the final Grand Slam of the season, Konta can reflect on a successful year at the majors after reaching the French Open semi-finals – on a clay surface on which she had previously struggled – and another run to the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

Former world number four Konta was on the verge of dropping out of the top 50 earlier this year before a change of fortunes under new coach Dimitri Zavialoff – who enjoyed success with Swiss pair Stan Wawrinka and Timea Bacsinszky – has lifted her back to the cusp of the world’s top 10.

The Frenchman has given Konta more “autonomy” to solve the problems put forward by her opponents, although her valiant attempts to play with variation could not unsettle Svitolina.

Konta was the first British woman to reach the US Open quarter-finals since Jo Durie in 1983, but could not match her feat by going one step further as Svitolina maintained her record of not dropping a set during the tournament.

The Ukrainian, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals and also won the WTA Tour Finals last year, is one of the most consistent ball-strikers in the women’s game and her ability to keep putting the ball back into play proved Konta’s downfall.

It led to Konta trying to force the points with her aggressive returns, leading to 35 unforced errors – and 20 more forced by her opponent – outweighing 24 winners.

By contrast, Svitolina only made 13 unforced errors in a high-quality performance.

“I do feel that was the best I’ve felt her play against me,” Konta said.

“I didn’t play badly at all, I was doing a lot of bright things. She just made me play that extra ball, it’s frustrating.”

Svitolina’s time? Serena might have something to say…

Konta had come into this meeting having lost all four of her previous meetings with Svitolina – and the world number five once again showed she had the tools to blunt the Briton.

The Ukrainian, coached by Englishman Andy Bettles and formerly based in London, broke first for a 3-2 lead before allowing Konta to instantly level, leaving the world number five hammering a ball into the court in anger at letting the advantage disappear.

That soon subsided, however, as three backhand winners snatched the momentum straight back, to the frustration of Konta’s box, which again included British actor Tom Hiddleston.

Konta saved a set point with a stunning volley but a long return gave Svitolina another chance which was taken when the Briton pushed a backhand past the baseline.

Konta’s service game has been the bedrock of her success in New York, yet she was let down by a second serve which yielded just 48% of winning points.

Remarkably, the second set followed exactly the same pattern as the opener as the pair again traded three break in Svitolina’s favour for a 4-3 lead.

Konta’s first double fault of the match indicated her growing anxiety as Svitolina threatened to end the match on the Briton’s serve, a mis-hit forehand bringing up a match point which the Ukrainian hit long.

Another overcooked backhand from Konta brought up a second opportunity, but the Briton dug deep to prolong the match with three accurate serves which Svitolina had no answer to.

Konta had already proved she could damage Svitolina’s serve, but could not break again when it mattered most.

A superb cross-court winner from Svitolina, greeted with a massive roar and a raise of both arms to urge more noise from the crowd, brought up a third match point and she sealed victory when Konta went long.

That brought another wild celebration from Svitolina towards her team and boyfriend Gael Monfils, who will aim to reach the last four of the men’s singles on Wednesday.

“Konta’s shots are very strong so you have to expect that,” Svitolina said.

“You have to react really quickly with your feet to get behind the ball, you know, try to make her hit one more shot.

“Today I did it very good to get lots of balls back and try to get my opportunity.”

Analysis

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller

Johanna Konta had the chance to complete a full set of Grand Slam semi-final appearances, but this was not the crushing disappointment of her Wimbledon quarter-final defeat by Barbora Strycova.

Konta was beaten by a world number five who is yet to drop a set in the championships. Svitolina was just a little sharper, and a little more consistent throughout the match.

She made only 13 unforced errors, and is gradually putting the pieces in place to make her a Grand Slam champion. Svitolina’s serve is much improved, and her confidence buoyed by winning last year’s WTA Championships.

That season-ending event is now Konta’s target. She is likely to rise to 11 in the world rankings and will probably also be in 11th place in the annual race to qualify for the eight-woman field in Shenzhen.

So, she is within striking distance, but will need to play exceptionally well in Wuhan and Beijing – the two big-money WTA events coming up in China over the next month.

Tennis coach Judy Murray on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra commentary

That was a masterclass in consistency, court coverage, resilience.

Svitolina served well, she fought quietly. I don’t think Jo played badly, she just didn’t have the consistency to break Svitolina down.

Svitolina was just that bit better overall.

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Argentine Diego Schwartzman came from a set down to beat German sixth seed Alexander Zverev and reach the US Open quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows.

Schwartzman, the 20th seed, won 3-6 6-2 6-4 6-3 and will next face Rafael Nadal who overcame Marin Cilic in four sets.

A frustrated Zverev was docked a point for an obscenity in the final set after earlier hitting a ball into the crowd.

French 13th seed Gael Monfils cruised past unseeded Spaniard Pablo Andujar 6-1 6-2 6-2 to make the last eight.

Monfils, 33, broke serve six times and did not face a break point as he won in one hour and 26 minutes to set up a meeting with Matteo Berrettini.

Italian Berrettini, seeded 24th, saw off Russian Andrey Rublev 6-1 6-4 7-6 (8-6) to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time.

Berrettini, 23, had failed to progress beyond the first round in two previous attempts in New York.

He served for the match at 6-5 in the third set and, though unseeded Rublev was able to break him for the first time, the Italian secured victory in the resulting tie-break.

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Frustrated Zverev falls short again

After three lengthy sets featuring 10 breaks of serve, Schwartzman, 27, stormed into a 4-0 lead in the fourth against an out-of-sorts Zverev, who served 17 double faults and made 65 unforced errors.

Zverev clawed a break back but, following a previous code violation for hitting the ball into the crowd, he was then docked a point for an audible obscenity on game point, which gave Schwartzman a 5-2 lead.

The 22-year-old remonstrated with umpire James Keothavong, saying he had not heard the earlier violation because of the noise of the rain falling on the Arthur Ashe Stadium roof.

Zverev found some composure to win his next service game but Schwartzman was able to convert the second of two match points with a forehand winner.

The defeat means Zverev, the winner of last year’s ATP Finals and seen by many as the leader of the next generation in the men’s game, has still only made two Grand Slam quarter-finals – at the French Open in 2018 and 2019.

“Alex today had many problems with the serve, I am a big returner and I took many chances with that. I think I played great tennis,” said Schwartzman.

The Argentine, who has lost all seven previous meetings with Nadal, added: “Rafa is my friend. It’s always great to play against him in a quarter-final of a Grand Slam.”

Analysis

GB Davis Cup captain Leon Smith on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

I’m absolutely thrilled for Schwartzman, he is a hugely popular guy and has a huge heart and high skill levels.

At 5ft 7in people thought it would be too difficult for him but he has proven everyone wrong.

It’s another Grand Slam where Zverev will leave with much disappointment and there will be a lot of soul-searching with him and his team after that loss

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