Venus Williams beat third-seed Dinara Safina 6-4 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

Williams broke for a 5-4 lead before serving out the first set.

The fifth seed never looked back after going 4-0 up in the second and now plays Jelena Jankovic who beat Vera Zvonareva 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (7-5).

Earlier 19-year-old Belarusian Victoria Azarenka beat Olympic champion Elena Dementieva 7-6 (7-6) 3-6 6-1 to set up a semi-final with Nadia Petrova.

She sealed her semi-final spot with a 6-2 6-3 win over Li Na.

Williams and Safina were playing each other for the first time and the American was delighted to have beaten a player who has won four titles this year and risen to a career-high ranking of world number three.

"I had to work very hard because she played at 200%," she said. "It's very exciting to win against a player who has had such a great year."

Competing in Stuttgart for the first time in 10 years, Williams played aggressively from the baseline and came to the net whenever possible and to devastating effect.

"I feel more comfortable at the net now, I have a volley," she said.

Azarenka produced a composed display against Dementieva, saving set point before closing out the first set on a tie-break.

Dementieva responded positively in the second but them made a catalogue on unforced errors in the third, which allowed her opponent to take a 5-0 lead.

The Russian world number four saved three match points to bring it back to 5-1 but made two successive errors and then put a backhand into the net to confirm her fate.

"I just kept on fighting," said Azarenka, who is bidding for her first tour title. "We had many long rallies. I tried to fight for every ball. I played very well."

(BBC)

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