American Madison Keys has riddenthe home crowd's support at Arthur Ashe Stadium to swat aside Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-1 6-4 and reach the US Open semi-finals.
Runner-up in 2017, Keys has suffered a handful of early exits at her home Grand Slam in recent years, but has excelled in the 2023 edition and is flourishing under the bright lights at Flushing Meadows.
She next faces second seed Aryna Sabalenka, who dispatched China's Zheng Qinwen 6-1 6-4 to reach her fifth Grand Slam semi-final in a row.
"I just love it here," said Keys, who fended off all nine break points she faced during the match. "I love playing here.
"In front of a home crowd, you can never feel like you can't get out of any situation. I knew I was going to have to keep trying to get to the net, be aggressive."
The match got off to an unusual start, as the chair umpire was forced to stop play midway through the first game for several minutes, when a spectator needed medical attention.
Keys was not rattled by the incident and began her demolition once play resumed, breaking Czech Vondrousova to love in the second game and converting on another breakpoint chance with a fine forehand winner in the fourth.
Ninth seed Vondrousova had withdrawn from her doubles campaign, after a three-setter against Peyton Stearns in the fourth round left her with a sore arm, and she looked like she lacked firepower against Keys.
While she stepped up a gear in the second set, improving her serve considerably, she was still unable to seize the momentum, failing to convert on five breakpoints in the eighth game alone.
Keys broke her opponent in the ninth game and let out a cheer, as she forced Vondrousova into a backhand error on matchpoint.
Vondrousova, who served up five double faults in the match, made no excuses for her defeat and said Keys was simply too good.
"I don't think it was nerves," she added. "I played, you know, some good points, but it wasn't enough.
"I think, from her side, it was so good on the serve... was just trying to find a way. Just all credits to her today."
Keys expects a tough challenge from Sabalenka, who beat her in the Wimbledon quarter-finals and is assured of the world No.1 spot, when the rankings are updated after the tournament.
"Almost a completely different match tomorrow," said Keys. "It's going to be a lot of hard hitting, not a lot of long points."
Reuters
