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Serena smashes Wozniacki

New York - Serena Williams demolished world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 6-4 in Saturday's semifinals to move within a victory of a storybook finish at Flushing Meadows.

Williams, who played only five tournaments this year before the season's last grand slam due to injuries and a life-threatening blood clot on her lungs, will play Australian Sam Stosur in Sunday's final after a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

The 29-year-old Williams, seeded 28th after sliding down the rankings while on the sidelines, thoroughly dominated the top-seeded Dane.

The three-time US Open champion and winner of 13 grand slam crowns belted 15 winners to Wozniacki's zero in the opening set, and finished the match with 34 outright winners to a meagre five for her 21-year-old opponent.

Serving for the match at 5-3, Williams wobbled with two careless groundstroke errors and two double-faults to allow Wozniacki to bring the set back on serve.

The American made amends in the next game, however, sealing the match when the Dane put a backhand into the net, sparking a jumping and twirling celebration.

"It's so great. I'm so happy, especially with 9-11," Williams told the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. "It really meant a lot for me to come out here as an American and to still be in the tournament.

"I really want to play tomorrow on such a special day for the United States, so I'm really excited."

Williams said battling back from her injuries and illness made this championship advance even more meaningful to her.

"It's been such an arduous long road. I can't believe it. I really can't," she said.

STOSUR BEATS KERBER TO REACH FINAL

Sam Stosur survived a late fightback from unseeded German Angelique Kerber to win theirsemifinal 6-3 2-6 6-2.

Stosur, one of the most powerful hitters in the women's game, regained her composure after dropping the second set and failing to serve out the match at her first attempt to become the first Australian to reach the US Open women's final since Wendy Turnbull in 1977, seven years before Stosur was born.

Stosur, who made the final at the French Open last year but lost to Italy's Francesca Schiavone, is bidding to become the first Australian woman to win a grand slam since Evonne Goolagong-Cawley at Wimbledon in 1980.

The 27-year-old Queenslander will play the winner of Saturday's second semi between Serena Williams and world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki in Sunday's final.
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