TORONTO (AP) -- Samantha Stosur defeated Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-1 Friday to reach the semifinals of the Rogers Cup.

The 11th-ranked Australian broke Vinci's serve while leading 5-4 in the first set to take the opener at the Rexall Centre. Stosur then poured it on against the 22nd-ranked Italian in the second to move into the semis in convincing fashion.

"As the match went on, I obviously probably grew in confidence, and then you get that bit of a lead with a buffer of a couple breaks and felt like I could maybe start going for a bit more,'' Stosur said."I went for some big ones and it paid off.''

Stosur will take on Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat No. 11 Andrea Petkovic of Germany 6-4, 6-3.

"Semifinals, you've got to believe that anything in possible,'' Stosur said." Having said that, from semifinals to winning the tournament, there's a still a long way to go, but I think in this position you've got to. If you don't, then it's probably a little bit silly.''

Also, fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus made quick work of No. 135 Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan with a 6-1, 6-2 victory.

Azarenka, the highest seeded player remaining in the women's draw, hasn't dropped a set in the tournament and lost just six games. She broke Voskoboeva's serve six times to win in 69 minutes. The frustration showed when Voskoboeva whacked a ball in anger, narrowly missing a ball boy.

However, Voskoboeva had a productive week, upsetting No. 9 Marion Bartoli, No. 25 Flavia Pennetta and fifth-ranked Maria Sharapova to earn her quarterfinal berth.

Azarenka will meet either Serena Williams or Lucia Safarova, who play in the evening quarterfinal.

The victories for the three seeded players came just as the star power had all but fizzled out with 11 of 16 seeds gone by the end of the third round.

Williams, unseeded as she continues her comeback from foot injuries and blood clots on her lungs, is easily the biggest star remaining.

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