Serena defeats Safarova to reach Toronto semis

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.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.Australias Samantha Stosur also reached the semifinals, defeating Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-1, and will face Polands Agnieszka Radwanska, who was a 6-4, 6-3 winner over 11th-seeded German Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 6-3.Azarenka, the highest seeded player remaining in the womens draw, has not dropped a set in the tournament and lost just six games. She broke Voskoboevas serve six times to win in 69 minutes. The frustration showed when Voskoboeva whacked a ball in anger, narrowly missing a ball boy.Voskoboeva had a productive week, upsetting No 9 Marion Bartoli, No 25 Flavia Pennetta and fifth-ranked Maria Sharapova to earn her quarterfinal berth.The 22-year-old Radwanska took 1 hour, 41 minutes to beat Petkovic, winning the final long rally when the 23-year-old German fired a shot into the net.Radwanska is battling a shoulder injury, which she summed up to too much tennis. She wore a patch the size of a saucer taped over her right shoulder.Petkovic wasnt surprised by the long rallies with Radwanska, but given the opportunity to replay the match, would have taken an entirely different approach.