AFP
New York, Sept 8: Serena Williams fended off a determined challenge from Simona Halep, downing the fifth-seeded Romanian 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to reach the US Open semifinals. She will meet Karolina Pliskova, the lady who defeated elder sibling Venus Williams in the fourth round. Pliskova overcame 18-year-old Croatian Ana Konjuh 6-2, 6-2
World No.1 Serena, seeking a record seventh US Open title and 23rd Grand Slam crown, fired 18 aces en route to the triumph here Wednesday night. But she made her task against the 2014 French Open finalist harder with 43 unforced errors and Halep, firing on all cylinders from the baseline took advantage.
The Romanian became the first player in the tournament to break Serena’s serve, and the first to take a set off the top seed.
But after failing to convert any of a dozen breakpoints in the second set, Serena regained control in the third with a break for 3-1 and steamed home from there.
“I knew I could play a lot better,” Serena said of her frustration in a second set that lasted 65 minutes. “She kept going for her shots – she stepped it up.”
Angelique Kerber, who booked her semifinal slot Tuesday, can still nudge Serena from the summit if the American fails to reach the final. Irrespective of Kerber’s result against Caroline Wozniacki, top seed Serena must win her match against Pliskova to stretch her reign to a record-breaking 187 weeks. However, if Kerber advances to the title match, Serena will have to beat her to stay No. 1.
