The first of two all-American women’s semi-finals at the US Open sees veteran Venus Williams, shooting for a place in a second grand slam final this year, taking on the unseeded comeback queen Sloane Stephens. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 9am (AEST).
Stephens is one of the stories of this year’s US Open. After reaching a highest career ranking of 11 in 2015, she picked up a stress fracture in her foot this time last year. She then spent nearly a year out of action, only returning at Wimbledon this year.
She lost in the first round at Wimbledon, but gathered form in Cincinnati and Toronto, completing the turnaround with a semifinal run at the US Open, and if she can overcome Williams, an unprecedented spot in the final for the unseeded player.
Stephens made the 2013 Australian Open semi-finals but hasn’t looked like going this deep in a grand slam since. Her form in New York has been impressive, to say the least with her power game allowing her to go past opponents with relative ease.
In fact, to this point in the tournament, she has only lost three sets, and until the last round hadn’t been pushed in a deciding set.
Wins over Roberta Vinci, Dominika Cibulkova (three sets), Ashleigh Barty and Julia Goerges under the belt, she took on the seeded Anastasija Sevastova in the quarter-finals. It was a commanding performance from Stephens though, taking the first set and then bouncing back to dominate a third set tiebreaker 7-4.
She will need to be at her best if she is going to contend with Venus Williams though. The veteran is having a wonderful year, given her age. She made the final of the Australian Open to kick things off, and is looking to go one step better at Flushing Meadows.
Like Stephens, she has only lost three sets for the tournament and had to battle through a third set tiebreaker in the quarter-finals, getting past Petra Kvitova 7-2. Her dominance of that tiebreaker was down to her serve putting the pressure on, and aggression when attacking second serves.
Williams has always had the ability to attack second serves, and for that reason Stephens must fire a high percentage of first serves in. Before Kvitova, Williams had gone past Viktoria Kuzmova, Oceane Dodin, Maria Sakkari and the seeded Carla Suarez Navarro in three sets, winning the final 6-1.
It’s a tale of two players who are in undoubted good form, but Stephens has won their only previous meeting, going past Williams at the French Open in 2015.
Prediction
Williams has all the experience here, and I expect her to go through to the final. It’ll be hard-fought though.
Williams in three sets.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this semi-final from 9am (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment below.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Right then, with one incredible semi-final out of the way, we wait to see if the second one can live up to the weight of expectations, with more Americans taking the court. That wraps up our live coverage of Stephens and Williams though. Thanks for joining me and I hope you enjoyed the call and match as much as I did. Let's switch over to Madison Keys vs Coco Vandeweghe now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the match Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
GAME, SET, MATCH SLOANE STEPHENS Fault into the bottom of the net, but Williams returns the second kick serve into the net.That was a phenomenal semi-final. The third set took 73 minutes, but Sloane Stephens has worked so hard for this! Her defence has been amazing, and she will go through to her first grand slam final. What a comeback story this is. Almost a year off court with injury, and she is through to the US Open final against either Madison Keys or Coco Vandeweghe. What a match. Venus Williams 1 6 5 Sloane Stephens 6 0 7
Scott Pryde
Expert
Williams just in all out defence mode there. Behind the baseline, and then she puts a backhand into the net. Two match points! Williams 1 6 5 - 15 Stephens 6 0 6 - 40
Scott Pryde
Expert
Wide serve from Stephens, then a forehand to the corner on a short return. Williams gets there, but puts the backhand wide. Williams 1 6 5 - 15 Stephens 6 0 6 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Stephens with a fault. Williams returns the second nicely, then plays with plenty of depth. She gets inside the baseline, hits a nice approach shot and puts away the volley. Williams 1 6 5 - 15 Stephens 6 0 6 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Stephens to serve for the match. Body serve to start with, and plenty of depth on the return. Williams from the baseline, puts a forehand into the net. Williams 1 6 5 - 0 Stephens 6 0 6 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Williams has been broken to love. Stephens' defence has been phenomenal here, and there it is again as Williams puts a ball wide. Stephens now serving for the match and a spot in the final. Williams 1 6 5 - Stephens 6 0 6 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault from Williams. The second is wide and returned with plenty of depth, before Williams makes a forehand mistake. Stephens has three break points! Williams 1 6 5 - 0 Stephens 6 0 5 - 40
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault from Williams. The second is at the body and returned a little short. Williams was looking to attack, went backwards, and it's another long rally before she gets some assistance off the net. Stephens had night right to make that shot, but managed to not only get there, but hit it on a short angle across the court. This is deadset amazing. Williams 1 6 5 - 0 Stephens 6 0 5 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
This match is beyond words right now. Stephens defends at least five shots running along the back fence, before Williams comes to the net, brings Stephens forward and she plays an amazing lob of her own to win the point. Woah. This is amazing. Williams 1 6 5 - 0 Stephens 6 0 5 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Stephens holds serve! That's brilliant! Down the T and it's returned long. Williams 1 6 5 - Stephens 6 0 5 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Another long point here. A really long point in fact and it has everything! Williams defending off the back fence, then she gets back into it before advancing to the net. She turns Stephens around as well, but Stephens hits the backhand past her out of the corner! What a shot! What a shot. Williams 1 6 5 - 30 Stephens 6 0 4 - 40
Scott Pryde
Expert
Stephens with too much power right there. Great return of serve, then a lovely forehand down the line and Stephens can't reach it. Williams 1 6 5 - 30 Stephens 6 0 4 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Williams returns serve wide now. Williams 1 6 5 - 15 Stephens 6 0 4 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault from Stephens. The second is returned well and Stephens is ran off the court, unable to keep a forehand in with Venus playing a cross court forehand on a sharp angle. Williams 1 6 5 - 15 Stephens 6 0 4 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Stephens on serve and she must hold to keep the match alive. Wide one, but a good return and a grinding rally follows. A 17-shot rally that, and Williams puts a forehand wide. Williams 1 6 5 - 0 Stephens 6 0 4 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Williams with a fault. The second is down the middle and Stephens returns one, but then puts a backhand into the net. Venus Williams holds and she is a game away from the US Open final. Stephens must hold now. Williams 1 6 5 - Stephens 6 0 4 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault from Williams. Pressure right on now. The second is wide and Stephens has returned that well, then slowed the pace of the point with a shorter ball to regain her position. She hits a forehand long though running along the baseline. Williams 1 6 4 - AD Stephens 6 0 4 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Williams with a fault. The second is at the body and returned with plenty of depth. Williams winds up on a corner forehand, but it's been called out! It was never being returned. Challenge called for, and it was in! Caught the line. Break point saved. Williams 1 6 4 - deuce (1) Stephens 6 0 4 -