Sloane Stephens was two points from defeat against Venus Williams in one US Open semi-final before winning, while Madison Keys faced no such test, overwhelming Coco Vandeweghe in the other semi.
Stephens and Keys are to meet in the first Grand Slam title match for each of them and the first all-US women’s final at Flushing Meadows since 2002.
Stephens summoned some of her best strokes when she needed them the most, steeling herself when so close to defeat and taking the last three games of a back-and-forth thriller, edging seven-time major champion Williams 6-1, 0-6, 7-5 on Thursday.
Photo: AFP
“I don’t give up. Like, I’m not just going to give it to someone,” Stephens said.
“I’m not just going to let them take it from me,” Stephens said.
The 15th-seeded Keys, who dominated No. 20 Vandeweghe 6-1, 6-2 in barely more than an hour, had 25 winners to only nine unforced errors and never faced a break point.
The match time would have been even shorter, except Keys left the court to have her upper right leg taped at 4-1 in the second set.
“I think I played pretty well tonight,” Keys said.
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