Top-ranked Serena Williams beats Carla Suarez Navarro to reach Italian Open semifinals

Serena Williams, of the United States, returns the ball to Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova, during their match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Thursday, May 16, 2013. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca) (The Associated Press)

Serena Williams, of the United States, serves the ball to Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova, during their match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Thursday, May 16, 2013. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca) (The Associated Press)

ROME – Top-ranked Serena Williams extended her winning streak to a career-best 22 matches and reached the Italian Open semifinals by beating Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 6-0 Friday.

Williams had twice won 21 in a row before, although both of those streaks came more than a decade ago, in 2002 and 2003.

Showing off near-perfect form less than 10 days before the French Open, Williams has dropped only three games in her last two matches

The 15-time Grand Slam champion has also won her previous three tournaments.

Williams will next face either two-time Rome winner Jelena Jankovic or Romanian qualifier Simona Halep.