Wimbledon 2016: Serena Williams blasts past Pavlyuchenkova to make semi-finals

The world number one won 6-4 6-4 against an opponent who battled hard, but never looked like causing a shock result as Williams broke in the tenth games of both sets to set up a semi-final against Dominika Cibulková or Elena Vesnina in the last four.

She is still on course for a potential final against sister Venus Williams, who outclassed Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova on Court One in the quarter-finals.

Venus, now 36, will play Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber in the last four, the German having beaten Simona Halep on Tuesday.

"I'm excited to win that one, it felt really good," said Williams.

"I knew I had a really tough opponent. One thing I learnt this year is to just focus on the match.

"Regardless, both of us (Serena and sister Venus) are just happy to be in the semi-finals. I want her to win. We are playing doubles later on."

Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat 19-Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) 6-2 6-2

1-Serena Williams (U.S.) beat 21-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) 6-4 6-4

8-Venus Williams (U.S.) beat Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan) 7-6(5) 6-2

4-Angelique Kerber (Germany) beat 5-Simona Halep (Romania) 7-5 7-6(2)