Williams Reaches Semifinals, Top-Seeded Djokovic Earns Win

Serena Williams beat Flavia Pennetta in straight sets Wednesday night to reach the semifinals of the U.S. Open. The top-seeded Williams, playing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal of the year, overcame a slow start to post a 6-3, 6-2 victory over the 11th-seeded Italian at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Williams kept her hopes alive for a third straight Flushing Meadows title and sixth overall. She is the first player to advance to the semifinals at the U.S. Open aged 32 or older since Martina Navratilova in 1991.

Williams next plays Russian Ekaterina Makarova. The 17th-seeded Makarova  secured a berth in her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal with a mild upset over two-time runner-up Victoria Azarenka. Makarova  doused Azarenka 6-4, 6-2 in 1 hour, 27 minutes at Ashe Stadium. The Belarusian star Azarenka piled up six double faults and was broken four times on Day 10 of the fortnight.

Top-seeded Novak Djokovic earned a hard-fought victory over eighth-seeded Andy Murray to secure a spot in the semifinal of the U.S. Open. Djokovic, who now leads Murray 13-8 all-time in their matches at the ATP tour level, defeated the Brit, 7-6 (7-1), 6-7 (1-7), 6-2, 6-4 on Wednesday in just over 3 1/2 hours. Murray broke Djokovic in the opening game of the first set to grab the early 1-0 lead. Djokovic answered by breaking Murray's next two service games to regain control, 3-1. Murray withstood the rally from Djokovic, however, knotting the match at 4-4 later in the set until the Serb handily won the tiebreak. The second set was much tighter as the two maintained serve until Murray, just like his opponent in the first set, cruised in the tiebreak to even the  match at a  set apiece.

Djokovic broke Murray early in the  third set which led to an easy win, then the Serbian broke Murray again on the final game of the fourth to reach the semifinal round. Djokovic will face Japan's Kei Nishikori, who grinded out another marathon win to become the first Japanese man in the Open Era to reach the semifinals at a grand slam event.