Barty tops Venus for 10th win in a row; inches closer to No. 1 ranking

In a battle of grass-court extraordinaires, Ashleigh Barty dispatched five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams, 6-4, 6-3, in the quarterfinals of Birmingham on Friday.

Williams struck first, racing to a 4-1 lead in the first set, overwhelming Barty with her relentless aggression and power. Barty had no answer in the beginning for the pace and depth of the Williams groundstrokes, but was determined to make the 39-year-old work for every point.

Serving up 4-2, 40-15, Williams missed a pair of routine forehands and that was all she wrote for the American. Barty capitalized on the opening, and steamrolled to the finish line. She improved to 2-0 against Williams, adding to her 2017 victory in Cincinnati.

The French Open champion has won 10 consecutive matches and is now two wins away from snatching the world No. 1 ranking from Naomi Osaka. With Williams eliminated, Barty is the overwhelming favorite to win the tournament. The 23-year-old Australian will face Barbora Strycova in the semifinals.