However, Kerber is actually the current World No. 1 when it comes to live rankings.
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A right ankle injury sidelined 26-year-old Wozniacki for the best part of three months and her enforced absence from the French Open ended a streak of 36 successive appearances at the majors.
“[But] Serena maintaining her No. 1 position, I don’t think says anything less of the depth of women’s tennis”, Konta said when that was suggested.
Kerber was in command from the start, winning all the big points on the way to taking the opening set.
If, as anticipated, Kerber and Williams face off in Saturday’s final, the victor is No. 1 on Monday.
Germany’s Angelique Kerber, the No. 2 seed, rolled to a 7-5, 6-0 win over Italy’s Roberta Vinci on Tuesday, advancing to the US Open semifinals.
Kerber leads Wozniacki 7-5 in career meetings but they have never met at a Slam.
Kerber cleaned up her act considerably and played near immaculate in the second set, while Vinci completely imploded after a foot-fault call against her on set point.
“It’s always tough to play Roberta”.
Instead, the soon-to-be 35-year-old was the first one on the practice courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, preparing for a run toward her 23rd Grand Slam title.
“I don’t know. This is the question you’re going to ask me now?” a smiling Vinci said good-naturedly.
The result means Serena Williams will at least need to reach the final to protect her spot at the top of the rankings. “Of course that helps me a little bit more on my game style when my first serve, yeah, comes more”.
“It was affecting my play, but I’m not a person that likes to retire during a match, so I just tried my best”, Sevastova said. If it’s coming – it’s a dream for her, I know that. “Now just will go home and take some days off; see what I have for my injury, and then we will see”.
Vinci had just broken Kerber, but she imploded and fell behind 30-40 before whacking a backhand into the net to lose the game and allow Kerber to tie the set 5-5.
The last time Kerber reached this stage of the US Open was in 2011-when she was ranked 92 in the world. The most recent match was in the 2015 Beijing Open, a match Kerber won in straight sets.
The eighth-seeded Spanish doubles team of Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez defeated third-seeded Bob and Mike Bryan 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-3 in the quarterfinals to deny the Bryans their quest for a 17th Grand Slam title. Those seemed to be behind her as she slugged her way to the semifinals, even if she is contemplating retirement, according to her father.
Down two breaks at 2-5 in the second, he called for the trainer, wincing as his knee was manipulated.
Gael Monfils overwhelmed worn out fellow-Frenchman Lucas Pouille 6-4 6-3 6-3 to become the first man into the semifinals of the US Open on Tuesday.
But Tsonga wasn’t able to shine on that stage.
Asked whether she expected to get some advice from her sibling before facing Pliskova, the younger Williams said: “I’m sure she will tell me something”.
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He gifted a break to Djokovic with three double faults to fall behind 2-4 in the opening set, and while he regained the break he dropped his serve again in the next game and suddenly Djokovic was serving for the set.
