US Open: Wozniacki Faces Williams In Final Four
Wozniacki sets Williams semi final
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki has booked a semi final berth when the world champion ousted tenth seed Andrea Petkovic in straight sets 6-1, 7-6. The Dane will next meet Serena Williams in the last four round, being two wins from her first ever Grand Slam trophy.
Wozniacki converted six out of nine break points in front of the German who could only steal three of the favorite’s services. The Dane needed 27 minutes to clinch the opener, but had a much harder life in the second term, being pushed into a tie breaker. Petkovic threatened with a comeback, but the Strasbourg winner lost the breaker at the death, 5-7.
Winner of six titles this season, Caroline finished the game with a 62 first serve percentage, nine winners, a 51 return percentage but also with a couple of double faults and 25 unforced errors. On the other side, Petkovic had a much more solid first serve play, converting 81 percent of them. Her showing also included 44 unforced errors, 24 winners and a 41 return percentage.
Wozniacki will next meet Serena Williams for the third time ever. The American, world number 27, follows a 7-5, 6-1 win against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova whom the crowd favorite broke six times in nine tries. Williams won at the same time 63 percent of first serve balls, hit 26 winners and set a 58 return percentage, compared to her opponent who had a 58 first serve percentage, 31 unforced errors, nine double faults, 13 winners and a 36 return percentage.
“I feel like I’m here, and I want to keep winning. I’m happy to be back and doing pretty well. But I want to keep it up and be consistent. I was consistent before I got injured again, but I definitely want to get back to that,” said Serena after the game.
She leads the direct confrontations with Wozniacki 2-0 with the last victory dating from the 2009 Tour Champions. Her first win comes from 2009 Sydney event.
En route to the semi finals, the Dane has defeated Nuria Llagostera 6-3, 6-1, Arantxa Rus 6-2, 6-0 in the second round, Vania King 6-2, 6-4 in the third one and Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-7, 7-5, 6-1 in the fourth one. Williams had previously defeated former world number one Ana Ivanovic 6-3, 6-4 in the fourth round, Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 7-6 in the third one, Michaella Krajicek 6-0, 6-1 in the second one and Bojana Jovanovschi 6-1, 6-1 in the opener.
Concerning the second half of the draw, Samantha Stosur is to meet Angelique Kerber in the final four. The Aussie stunned second seed Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 6-3, needing just one hour and seven minutes to secure the semi final berth. Stosur converted three out of four break points and gave the Russian no chance to break.
She finished the game with a 65 first serve percentage, 17 unforced errors, 25 winners and a 40 return percentage, compared to Vera’s 67 first serve percentage, 14 unforced errors, nine winners and a poor 25 return percentage.
Ninth seed’s next opponent Angelique Kerber has become the biggest surprise of the tournament. The German ousted Flavia Pennetta 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to near her best Grand Slam performance. Kerber broke the Italian nine times in 15 tries, but also conceded seven services, something which cost her the second set.
Kerber won 59 percent of first serves, committed six unforced errors and double faults, hit zero winners and converted 52 percent of return balls. Her opponent, who was seeded 26th in New York, came up with a 56 first serve percentage, one winner, five double faults and a 49 return percentage.
The head to head series between Penneta and Kerber have now gone 1-1 with Italian’s first win coming from this term’s Bastad event. Kerber will meet Stosur for the first time ever.
The Aussie had previously eliminated Maria Kirilenko 6-2, 6-7, 6-3 in the fourth term, Nadia Petrova 7-6, 6-7, 7-5 in the third one, Coco Vandeweghe 6-3, 6-4 in the second round and Sofia Arvidsson 6-2, 6-3 in the opener.
As for Kerber, the German has impressed with a 6-4, 6-3 win against Monica Niculescu whom she ousted in the fourth round, a 6-3, 6-1 win against Alla Kudryavtseva, a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 one over Agniezka Radwanska and a 7-6, 6-3 one over Lauren Davis.
US Open Prize Money and points:
Winner – $1,800,000 and 2000 points WTA
Runner-up – $900,000 and 1400 points WTA
Semi finalist – $450,000 and 900 points WTA
Quarter finalist – $225,000 and 500 points WTA
R16 – $110,000 and 280 points WTA
R32 – $55,000 and 160 points WTA
R64 – $31,000 and 100 points WTA
R128 – $19,000 and 5 points WTA11
