Venus Williams reinforced her pending move back to the world number two ranking with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Samantha Stosur to reach the semifinals of the Madrid Masters on Friday.

Jelena Jankovic said she took little notice of compatriot Ana Ivanovic across the net on Wednesday, emerging with a scratchy 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win in a Serbian struggle to reach the third round of the Madrid Masters.

Madrid, May 11: Australian Samantha Stosur maintained her fine run on clay by dispatching the Rome champion, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, at the Madrid Open on Tuesday.