Ninth seed Caroline Wozniacki brought an end to the amazing run of American teenager Melanie Oudin with victory in the quarter-finals of the US Open.
The Dane, 19, showed why she is ranked ninth in the world with a 6-2 6-2 win over the 17-year-old Oudin.
Wozniacki will next meet unseeded Belgian teenager Yanina Wickmayer in a first Grand Slam semi for both women.
Wickmayer beat Kateryna Bondarenko 7-5 6-4 in a scrappy encounter to win the first of Wednesday's quarter-finals.
Oudin, ranked 70, had become the story of the US Open as she beat Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova and Nadia Petrova on her way through to the last eight.
But after the day session had overrun, Oudin and Wozniacki began their match in a nearly empty Arthur Ashe Stadium as the night-session crowd filed in.
This has been a great experience for me, I've had a great run
Melanie Oudin
It was a low-key atmosphere compared to Oudin's previous matches and her performance fell flat in the face of some measured play from Wozniacki.
The Dane broke straight away as Oudin made numerous unforced errors and again to lead 5-1, before Oudin finally got going on her forehand side and cut the deficit.
A nervous game followed from both players but Wozniacki converted her third set point when Oudin sent a forehand long.
The American's chance to get back into the match came at 2-2 in the second set but a wayward backhand and forehand saw two break points go begging and Wozniacki reeled off four straight games to seal a place in the last eight.
"She's such a strong player, she doesn't give you anything for free," said Oudin, who made 43 unforced errors.
"This has been a great experience for me, I've had a great run. Caroline played a great match today. I hope to come back next year and do even better."
606: DEBATE
who knows, we may even have an all-Belgian final!
princeSchadenfreude
Wozniacki said: "I've never passed the fourth round before. When I made the quarter-finals I was so happy. Now I'm in the semi-finals and hopefully I can try and win the next match."
Wickmayer, ranked two places above Bondarenko at 50th in the world, snatched a tight first set in the earlier quarter-final and, although Bondarenko led 4-1 in the second set, a series of errors cost her dear.
"Playing semis in a Grand Slam is great, amazing," said the 19-year-old. "Before this my best was second round, so it's so exciting, it's all been amazing.
"When you get to the third or fourth round you start surprising yourself but actually I've been staying pretty calm. I've worked really hard for this.
Wickmayer had won one match in six Grand Slams before New York
"Every match I can win. I'm really excited. I'm really happy."
Wickmayer becomes the second unseeded Belgian to reach the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows, following the progress of her idol, former world number one Kim Clijsters, on Tuesday
The Dane, 19, showed why she is ranked ninth in the world with a 6-2 6-2 win over the 17-year-old Oudin.
Wozniacki will next meet unseeded Belgian teenager Yanina Wickmayer in a first Grand Slam semi for both women.
Wickmayer beat Kateryna Bondarenko 7-5 6-4 in a scrappy encounter to win the first of Wednesday's quarter-finals.
Oudin, ranked 70, had become the story of the US Open as she beat Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova and Nadia Petrova on her way through to the last eight.
But after the day session had overrun, Oudin and Wozniacki began their match in a nearly empty Arthur Ashe Stadium as the night-session crowd filed in.
This has been a great experience for me, I've had a great run
Melanie Oudin
It was a low-key atmosphere compared to Oudin's previous matches and her performance fell flat in the face of some measured play from Wozniacki.
The Dane broke straight away as Oudin made numerous unforced errors and again to lead 5-1, before Oudin finally got going on her forehand side and cut the deficit.
A nervous game followed from both players but Wozniacki converted her third set point when Oudin sent a forehand long.
The American's chance to get back into the match came at 2-2 in the second set but a wayward backhand and forehand saw two break points go begging and Wozniacki reeled off four straight games to seal a place in the last eight.
"She's such a strong player, she doesn't give you anything for free," said Oudin, who made 43 unforced errors.
"This has been a great experience for me, I've had a great run. Caroline played a great match today. I hope to come back next year and do even better."
606: DEBATE
who knows, we may even have an all-Belgian final!
princeSchadenfreude
Wozniacki said: "I've never passed the fourth round before. When I made the quarter-finals I was so happy. Now I'm in the semi-finals and hopefully I can try and win the next match."
Wickmayer, ranked two places above Bondarenko at 50th in the world, snatched a tight first set in the earlier quarter-final and, although Bondarenko led 4-1 in the second set, a series of errors cost her dear.
"Playing semis in a Grand Slam is great, amazing," said the 19-year-old. "Before this my best was second round, so it's so exciting, it's all been amazing.
"When you get to the third or fourth round you start surprising yourself but actually I've been staying pretty calm. I've worked really hard for this.
Wickmayer had won one match in six Grand Slams before New York
"Every match I can win. I'm really excited. I'm really happy."
Wickmayer becomes the second unseeded Belgian to reach the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows, following the progress of her idol, former world number one Kim Clijsters, on Tuesday
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