Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka advances to Brisbane International semifinals

e7e1b80d-Australia Brisbane International Tennis

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus plays a shot during her quarter final match against Ksenia Pervak of Kazakhstan during the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Jan 3, 2013. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard) (The Associated Press)

6e4368bd-Australia Brisbane International Tennis

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus reacts after winning her second round match against Sabine Lisicki of Germany 6-3, 6-3 during the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard). (The Associated Press)

BRISBANE, Australia – Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka routed Kazakh qualifier Ksenia Pervak 6-1, 6-0 on Thursday to set up a possible semifinal showdown with Serena Williams at the Brisbane International.

Azarenka, the reigning Australian Open champion, needed only 68 minutes to win her quarterfinal, breaking Pervak's serve seven times.

Pervak opened the tournament with an upset win over former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, but didn't have anything left to trouble Azarenka after coming off consecutive third-set tiebreakers.

The third-ranked Williams faced fellow American Sloane Stephens in a night quarterfinal. Williams has won 33 of her last 34 matches, including titles at Wimbledon, the Olympics and U.S. Open. She has an 11-1 record against Azarenka, including a 5-0 mark in 2012.