ROME, May 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Top seed Serena Williams bustled into the quarter-finals of the Rome Masters Thursday as the American brushed aside qualifier Dally Randriantefy 6-1, 6-3.

　　The 2002 champion was unstoppable to the world's 100-ranked Randriantefy in a 48-minute match although Williams did not produce an even display, mixing clean winners with unforced errors.

　　Williams will fight for a semi-final berth against Russian ninth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, who overcame seventh-seed Ai Sugiyama of Japan 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4).

　　Second seed Amelie Mauresmo disposed of four-times winner Conchita Martinez 6-3, 6-4 while fifth seed Jennifer Capriati enjoyed easy win over 12th seed Paola Suarez 6-2, 6-2, setting up a quarter-final against 16th seed Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi.

　　Capriati's victory over Argentine claycourter Suarez confirmed her return to full fitness after a back injury forced her to withdraw from the Australian Open and the Indian Wells tournament earlier this year.

　　With Capriati and Williams the strongest players in the top half of the draw, Mauresmo remains the overwhelming favorite in the bottom half.

　　The Frenchwoman powered past third-round opponent Martinez, whodominated the tournament between 1993 and 1996 and had won her only previous meeting with Mauresmo in the final of the Berlin claycourt tournament six years ago.

　　The win maintained Mauresmo's remarkable series of results in Rome, where she has never failed to reach the quarter-finals and has finished runner-up three times in the past four years.

　　It is a record that has made her popular in Rome, though the crowd will be against her when she takes on 10th seed Silvia Farina Elia, who is one of two Italians in the last eight. Enditem