Australian fifth seed Samantha Stosur has fallen to world No.10 Angelique Kerber in the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Open.

The second-seeded German easily accounted for Stosur on Saturday with an easy 6-2 6-2 victory.

Kerber saved seven of eight break points during a one-sided match, with the Australian managing only a 57 per cent first-serve rate and winning just 44 per cent of points from her first serve.

Up until the semi-finals, Stosur had performed strongly in Hong Kong, after suffering early exits in Tokyo, Wuhan and Beijing.

Kerber has moved to within one win of cementing her place in the season-ending WTA Finals in Singapore.

She can ensure she is part of the elite eight-player event if she wins the Hong Kong Open.

Kerber is chasing her fifth WTA singles title this year after victories in Charleston, Stuttgart, Birmingham and Stanford.

Seven-time grand slam winner and third seed Venus Williams has lost in straight sets to Serbia’s No.4 seed Jelena Jankovic.

In a semi-final lasting two hours and four minutes, Jankovic has saved multiple break points in a tight 6-4 7-5 victory and will face Kerber in the decider.