Johanna Konta had won her past three encounters with Venus Williams, but the veteran controlled proceedings from the baseline, taking the first set in just over half an hour.
Rafael Nadal, 30, converted all three of his break points to end Sock's challenge in one hour and 20 minutes and set up a meeting with Austria's Dominic Thiem - a rematch of the Madrid Open final that the Spaniard won to enter the world's top four.
American tennis player Nikita Kryvonos has been banned for 10 years and fined $20,000 (£15,380) after being found guilty of breaches of the sport's anti-corruption programme.
Rafael Nadal has clinically beaten Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-1 to win his 10th Barcelona Open title on Sunday 30th April.
World number 2 Novak Djokovic has sacked his entire coaching crew, including Marian Vajda, just before the commencement of the Madrid open.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has indicated that Anthony Joshua could return to the ring in July under a proposed two-fight arrangement tied to Riyadh Season. The plan, as outlined in interviews with talkSPORT and Sky Sports, would set up a high-profile showdown with Tyson Fury later in the year. Joshua, a former two-time heavyweight champion, has been out of action since December, when he secured a knockout victory in his last bout. Since then, he has resumed training and was recently seen ringside as Fury defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov in a comeback performance that reignited talk of a long-anticipated all-British clash.
