Cincinnati, Aug 22 (IANS): Women's World No.1 Serena Williams battled back from the brink of defeat to survive a big scare against No.9 Ana Ivanovic, winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the quarter-finals of the Western & Southern Open.

Williams broke serve in the first game of the match but her momentum didn't last long. Ivanovic came roaring back and eventually found herself up a set and a break after an hour on court. She dropped that second set, but the hard-hitting Serb jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the third.

But the No.1-seeded Williams came alive from there, reeling off six games in a row to put the No.6-seeded Ivanovic away. Ivanovic hit her 11th double fault of the match on match point.

"I did a Serena," Williams beamed in her on-court interview after the match here on Friday.

"Out of the previous nine times we've played I think we've gone three sets at least six times, so I know she plays really well. She knows what to do. She's been No.1, she's won a Grand Slam. I knew it was going to be a big test for me today, and I'm really happy I was able to get through that."