“This was the first win here I had also after I had twins, right? So it’s great coming back here,” Federer said. “I’ve been able to win five. It’s obviously incredible because I remember the first few here I struggled. Now looking back it’s just unbelievable. Plus this was probably the best week ever here in Cincinnati for me never dropping my serve and all that stuff and beating Novak in the final. This was very sweet. No doubt about it.”

Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin Del Potro will clash in a rematch of their Olympic bronze medal match in Cincinnati Saturday.

the Top 8 seeds receive first round byes, and tough openers include (15) Kohlschreiber vs. (WC) Baker, winner to meet the Harrison vs. Tomic victor; (10) Fish vs. F-Lo, (8) Monaco possibly vs. The Worm 2nd rd., (4) Ferrer possibly vs. Wawrinka 2nd rd., (14) Nishikori vs. Granoller, winner to possibly meet (WC) Blake; (11) Simon vs. Baghdatis, winner to meet Raonic vs. Gasquet victor; (6) Del Potro vs. Nalbandian/Haas winner, (9) Isner vs. Viktor Troicki, victor to face (WC) Hewitt vs. Mikhail Youzhny winner; (3) Murray possibly opening vs. (WC) Querrey, and (13) Dolgopolov vs. Davydenko

The grunting Azarenka looked like she could force a third set, but not even her shrill “Byewwwwwwwwww!”s could propel her past Williams, whose exhalations seemed demure next to the exhorting Belarussian.

The Wimbledon women’s semifinals are set get underway later today.

“I faced her many times in the juniors,” said Sharapova, who was broken twice in the second set. “She used to be a nightmare for me because she used to slice and drop shot on clay. We used to have real battles, and we haven’t played since then. I knew her game really well and she didn’t have time to do all of that today on grass. If I’m hitting a hard-paced shot I don’t think she has time to create, which is something she likes to do. That’s her game, lots of slices and drop shots, get people kind of crazy.”

Errani will next face Stosur, who beat down No. 15 seed Dominika Cibulkova 6-4, 6-1. The Italian Errani is 0-5 career against Stosur, another mountain to climb.

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic advanced into the French Open sweet 16s; Rafael Nadal returns Saturday.

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic renew their rivalry while Spanish buds Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer clash in the Rome semifinals.

“I think Victoria is the player to beat,” Williams said. “She has won I don’t know how many tournaments this year alone. That’s an amazing amount. So if you look at the stats, you just have to put her up there as the player to beat.”