Serena romps into last eight

Serena Williams reached the quarter-finals of the French Open on Monday as she tried to show it was business as usual at a Roland Garros still reeling from the shock exit of hot favourite Rafael Nadal just 24 hours earlier.

Returning to Centre Court, site of one of the biggest upsets ever witnessed at the French Open when four-times champion Nadal was defeated by Robin Soderling on Sunday, Williams beat Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak 6-1, 6-2.

World number two Williams, who created a commotion in the previous round after labelling her opponent a "cheat" following a dispute over a point, was the model of decorum in the thrashing of the 24th seed.

The American raced through the opening set in 23 minutes and it took her just half an hour to clinch the second, wrapping up victory on her second match point when Wozniak netted a service return.

The 2002 champion, at 27 the oldest woman left in the draw, will face seventh seed Svetlana Kuznetsova for a place in the last four after the Russian survived her stiffest test yet from Pole Agnieszka Radwanska.

Former US Open champion Kuznetsova, who had lost only 11 games at these championships until this match, won 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 against a 12th seed who put up a brave fight.

Kuznetsova 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 her opponent'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.