Serena Williams crushed Elena Vesnina in straight sets on Thursday to reach a Wimbledon final against her Australian Open conqueror Angelique Kerber or sister Venus.

Williams, a 21-time major champion, showed no mercy to the world number 50, winning 6-2 6-0 in just 48 minutes to progress to an ninth final at the All England Club. 

Vesnina was playing in her first grand slam semi-final and it showed, as Williams - a six-time and defending champion on the grass at SW19 - raced into a 4-0 lead.

The Russian had dominated in a straight-sets victory over Dominika Cibulkova in the quarter-finals but was it her turn to be brushed aside two days later, tamely giving up her serve in the first game as an ominous sign of things to come. 

Williams held easily before breaking Vesnina again in the third game, the reigning champion's punishing ground strokes pushing her helpless opponent back beyond the baseline.

It was not all a question of power from the American though. She briefly came to the net before forcing a wide return from a vicious kick-serve to hold in the fourth game.

Vesnina eventually settled somewhat but it was too late to prevent the world number one taking the first set with ease, Williams holding thanks to game-point aces twice in successive service games to take a 1-0 lead in just 28 minutes.

The punishment did not stop there, however, as Vesnina's woes worsened considerably in the second set, Williams breaking her hapless opponent three times and securing rapid-fire holds with the same combination of brutal cross-court winners and nerveless serving to march into the tournament showpiece.

As for her vanquished opponent, the 29-year-old Russian must now steel herself for the prospect of another Williams reckoning. Along with compatriot Ekaterina Makarova, she will face both Serena and Venus in the quarter-finals of the women's doubles later on Thursday.

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Williams [1] bt Vesnina 6-2 6-0

WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Williams - 28/7
Vesnina - 9/7

ACES
Williams - 11
Vesnina - 4

BREAK POINTS WON
Williams - 5/9
Vesnina - 0/0

FIRST SERVE PERCENTAGE
Williams - 77 
Vesnina - 60

PERCENTAGE OF POINTS WON ON FIRST/SECOND SERVE
Williams - 96/71
Vesnina - 50/29

TOTAL POINTS
Williams - 53
Vesnina - 21