体坛英语新闻：Williams sisters enter quarter finals at Dubai tennis open

DUBAI, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Venus Williams, the former world's number one and currently ranked 44, defeated here on Wednesday Serbia's hopeful Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 6-1, while her younger sister Serena Williams, the current number one, kicked out Elaterina Makarova the evening before 7-6, 6-0.

Ivanonic appeared to be exhausted during the game as the 26- year old Serbian had a tough Tuesday behind her when she beat Germany's Angelique Kerber in three tough sets.

For Williams, the victory was a revenge for her defeat in the final in Auckland, New Zealand, earlier this year.

Thirty-three-year-old Venus Williams will face Flavia Panetta from Italy in the quarter finals.

Seventeen-times Grand Slam tournaments winner Serena Williams hit the news before the start of the 22nd Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships when she said she would rather play Dubai than practicing after her she recovered from back injury, "because just practicing is boring".