Serena Williams of the US returns a shot to Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic during their match at the Rogers Cup in Toronto Friday. — Reuters TORONTO — Serena Williams' preparations for the US Open remained on track as she fought back from a one-set deficit to beat Lucie Safarova in the quarterfinals of the Rogers Cup Friday. Williams, still trying to build up her fitness and game touch after a series of injuries and illnesses, beat the Czech 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Her semifinal opponent will be fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who made quick work of No. 135 Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan with a 6-1, 6-2 victory. Australia's Samantha Stosur also reached the semifinals, defeating Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-1, and will face Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, who was a 6-4, 6-3 winner over 11th-seeded German Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 6-3. Stosur broke Vinci's serve while leading 5-4 in the first set to take the opener at the Rexall Centre. Stosur then poured it on against the 22nd-ranked Italian in the second to move into the semis in convincing fashion. “As the match went on, I probably grew in confidence, and then you get that bit of a lead with a buffer of a couple breaks and felt like I could maybe start going for a bit more,” Stosur said. “I went for some big ones and it paid off.” “Semifinals, you've got to believe that anything in possible,” Stosur said. “Having said that, from semifinals to winning the tournament, there's a still a long way to go, but in this position you've got to. If you don't, then it's probably a little bit silly.” Azarenka, the highest seeded player remaining in the women's draw, has not dropped a set in the tournament and lost just six games. She broke Voskoboeva's serve six times to win in 69 minutes. The frustration showed when Voskoboeva whacked a ball in anger, narrowly missing a ball boy. Azarenka said her opponent's hot streak leading into the match never had her concerned. Voskoboeva had a productive week, upsetting No. 9 Marion Bartoli, No. 25 Flavia Pennetta and fifth-ranked Maria Sharapova to earn her quarterfinal berth.
