By Chris Oddo | Friday, September 5, 2014

 

Serena Williams improved her record in Grand Slam semifinals to 22-3 with a 6-1, 6-3 thrashing of Russian Ekaterina Makarova.

Photo/AP

Serena Williams dismissed first-time Grand Slam semifinalist Ekaterina Makarova, 6-1, 6-3, to keep her hopes for a US Open three-peat alive on Friday in New York.

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Williams, shut out of the last weekend of Grand Slams in 2014 until Friday, pressured Makarova early and often, blasting 24 winners to only six for Makarova, and converting on five of ten break point opportunities.

The five-time US Open champion will bid to tie Chris Evert’s record of six Open Era titles in New York on Sunday when she meets Caroline Wozniacki in the final.

“I didn’t think I would be here today,” said Williams, who had been knocked out in before the quarterfinals of the year’s first three Slams. But as the tournament has progressed, Williams form has been buoyed by her confidence gained from a summer spent winning on the North American hard courts. “It’s definitely given me a lot of confidence,” added Williams, who has gone 18-1 since her third-round exit at Wimbledon, with her only loss coming to her sister Venis in Montreal.

The 32-year-old improves her career record in Grand Slam semifinals to 22-3 with the victory and inches one step from tying Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert for 3rd on tennis’s all-time Grand Slam titles list with 18.

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Makarova, who reached the last four of a major for the first time at age 26, mounted a brief rally in the second set, holding serve and then notching her first break of the day to close to 5-3, but Williams would break in the final game to clinch a spot in her 22nd career Grand Slam final.

The American legend, who has won 17 of 21 of those finals, is looking forward to a friendly battle for supremacy with her good friend Caroline Wozniacki in Sunday’s final.

“She obviously wants to win and go for her first Grand Slam,” said Williams, “and I want to win and try to make a little history. She’s such a great person and a great girl. We really looked forward to this since the draw came out.”

Wozniacki will return to the scene of her only previous Grand Slam final. In 2009 she was defeated by Kim Clijsters, 7-5, 6-3.

Williams, meanwhile, will make her 8th appearance in the US Open final. Her only losses have come in 2001 against her sister Venus and in 2011 against Sam Stosur. Since the loss to Stosur, Williams has taken her last four Grand Slam finals, which includes the 2012 and 2013 US Open titles.

The American is bidding to become just the second woman to have won three consecutive US Open titles in the Open Era. Chris Evert won four straight from 1975 to 1978.