World number one Victoria Azarenka has knocked off French Open winner Maria Sharapova to reach the US Open final where she will meet Serena Williams who took care of Sara Errani on Friday.
Azarenka, who won the Australian Open at the start of the year, came from a set down to defeat the Russian third seed 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.
The Belarussian, who hasn’t lost a three-setter this year, said: “I was not trying to focus on the score. I was trying to give whatever it takes. I know my opponent is going to play hard, but I am going to play harder. I guess that works for me to pull it out.”
Azarenka will take on fourth seed Serena Williams in the final, after she comfortably took care of French Open runner-up Sara Errani 6-1, 6-2.
“It will probably be the best summer I’ve ever had,” Williams said. “If you win the Olympics and Wimbledon and this, it would be kind of cool. So, yeah, it will be awesome.”
She added: “I feel like I’m going up against - I personally think - the most consistent and the best player this year, being Victoria Azarenka.”
Meanwhile, Azarenka pointed to her own poor record against Williams and suggested the American should be considered the favourite.
“She’s definitely the toughest opponent there is in the draw and being in the final makes it even more difficult. So it’s definitely going be a tough one,” she said.
“Our record, it says it all. I mean, I haven’t won in any last meetings, so I definitely need to find something to surprise her because she’s in a great form, feeling really confident right now. She has everything on her side.”