Serena storms into last eight

Second seed Serena Williams bludgeoned her way into the US Open quarter-finals with a straight-sets destruction of Daniela Hantuchova.

The Slovakian held her own in the early stages but it was one-way traffic thereafter as Williams - now the highest seed left in the tournament following the demise of the top-ranked Dinara Safina on Saturday night - blew her away 6-2 6-0 in 64 minutes.

The first five games went with serve before Williams broke for a 4-2 lead. She did not lose another game in the contest - reeling off 10 in a row - as 22nd seed Hantuchova fell apart in the face of a brutal baseline onslaught from the American.

Williams, a three-time winner at Flushing Meadows, looked strong on both wings and was rarely troubled on serve as she set up a last-eight clash against either Vera Zvonareva or Flavia Pennetta.