Stosur to face outsider Serena for US Open title

Sep 11, 2011, 4:28 GMT

New York - Samantha Stosur ignored a scheduling snub from US Open organisers, concentrating on her tennis to post a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 defeat of German Angelique Kerber on Saturday for a place in the women's final.

The Australian will take on American Serena Williams, who denied number one Caroline Wozniacki a chance at a first career major with a 6-2, 6-4 win in their semi-final.

Williams remains a winner from 18 of her 19 summer hardcourt matches. Her only hiccup came as Stosur advanced with a walkover in Cincinnati when Williams retired a day earlier claiming a sore toe.

The American only returned to the sport after being out for almost a year due to injury and illness. Williams was broken with a double-fault while serving for the win against Wozniacki but earned the victory when she broke Wozniacki a game later to end it in less than 90 minutes.

'It's so great, I'm so happy,' said Williams. 'It meant a lot for me to come out here for 9/11 and still be in the tourney. I really want to play on such a special day.

'It's been such a long and arduous road, I can't believe this.'

Due to shambolic scheduling all week at the event without a covered showcourt that was punished by two days of rain-outs, Stosur and the number 92 Kerber were exiled from the Ashe central court to make room for two men's semis and the other women's semi-final.

The Open is the only Grand Slam which does not programme a rest day for both events prior to the finals.

Men will have a rest before their delayed Monday title contest between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, but the women will play back-to-back.

'This was my third Grand Slam semi-final,' said Stosur. 'It was a good thing to have that in your back pocket playing someone who's never been in one before.

'If I could get off to a good start, then that was going to be a bonus. I always try and do that anyway, but I guess in a situation like this if you really can get going fast and put your opponent under pressure, that's even better.'

Stosur moved through the final on her second match point, a crisp volley putaway at the net against her inexperienced German opponent.

The winner couldn't find an ace and had 27 unforced errors, but Stosur managed the victory in less than two hours with 30 winners and conversions on all four of her break point chances.

Kerber, playing her first career match at this elite Grand Slam level, produced 18 unforced errors and 16 winners in a respectable showing. The German has yet to win a singles title on the WTA, with a runner-up position in Bogata her best so far.

She is predicted to make a huge jump to 34th in the rankings, joining a group of Top 20 compatriots led by number 11 Andrea Petkovic.

Stosur won as she played her first New York semi and become the first Aussie to get that far at the event since Wendy Turnbull in 1984.

The Australian defended her protest at being put on a minor showcourt.

'I wasn't too impressed with the scheduling the way everything had turned out. I think things could have been done a little bit differently or communication could have been better to express why things were gonna happen the way they happened. 'In the end, Grandstand is a fantastic court it was a great atmosphere out there and I loved every second of it. That wasn't the point. I was just trying to stick up for what I thought was the right thing, and unfortunately it didn't happen.