Serena Williams is determined to embrace her fans by keeping them in touch with her off-court activities and thoughts.

The world number two has become a fan of the micro-blogging site Twitter and used it to post a tribute to Michael Jackson.

"I do 'Twitter' because I want people, my fans, to get to know me, to see what kind of person I am," she revealed.

"Hopefully they can be more on an intimate level with me as opposed to a distant level."

Williams did not give Italian Roberta Vinci much of a chance to get to know her after beating her in straight sets to reach the fourth round of the women's singles.

The two-time champion gained a routine 6-3 6-4 victory in her first meeting with Vinci to set up a clash with Daniela Hantuchova for a place in the quarter-finals.

Williams, who lost only nine games in her first two matches, twice dropped serve to suggest she is not yet firing on all cylinders but still managed to hit 34 winners against the world number 53.

"I don't think I played great today at all," she said.

"I'm just glad to have got through it and go onto the next match."

Vinci, who has yet to get past the third round at Wimbledon in seven attempts, dropped her opening service game but took encouragement in the next game from a mis-hit that landed on the baseline and a rare double fault from Williams to break back.

Three of the first four games went against serve but Vinci produced two impressive service games to force her opponent to serve out for the set.

There was no realistic way back for the 26-year-old Italian once she dropped her serve at the start of the second set.

She had to save a brave point to avoid going 3-0 down as the world number two tightened her grip on the match.

Williams opened up a 4-1 lead before producing only a second double fault on break point to briefly give her opponent a glimmer of hope.

The battling Vinci saved two match points before the American eventually wrapped up the win in an hour and seven minutes.

Williams is now aiming for a seventh win in eight meetings with Hantuchova, who defeated Ai Sugiyama in straight sets today, but is determined not to under-estimate the Slovakian.

"She's such a smooth player and she takes her time on the court," Williams said.

"I have to make sure I don't rush myself because she is playing well and I think she's moving well. I'm going to have to really bring a tough game."