Angelique Kerber will become the new world number won after she won her US Open semi-final, while a loss ended Serena Williams hopes of a record 23rd major title.
Going into the final Grand Slam of the year, Kerber needed to beat American Williams' result to take the top spot in the WTA Rankings. And following Williams' straight sets defeat to Czech 10th seed Karolina Pliskova, the German knew a win over former world number one Caroline Wozniacki would see her become number one.
When the new rankings are officially released next week, Kerber will become the first German world number one since Steffi Graff in 1996. In doing so she also protects her compatriot's long standing record of most time spent at number one, leaving Williams and Graff equal on 186 weeks.
Kerber raced to a 4-0 lead over Wozniacki in just 16 minutes, as the news of her becoming number one seemed to not have an effect. The Dane appeared to settle into the match, saving two set points before Kerber regained control. There seemed to be a bit of tension between the pair, with the German complaining to the umpire about the noise coming from Wozniacki's players box, but she held her serve to take the first set 6-4.
Kerber powered to a 5-1 lead in the second set, her baseline shots proving too much for Wozniacki, who had dropped to 74th in the world before this week. The Dane fought back, winning nine points in a row to close the gap, but it wasn't enough as Kerber served it out to win 6-4, 6-3 and will become the 22nd WTA world number one.
This has been a big year for the new number one, winning at the Australian Open in January and finishing runner-up at Wimbledon, playing Serena in the final on both occasions. Following the match, Kerber said "For me, it's just amazing to be, after Steffi, the next number one player in Germany. Steffi's a great player and a great person, and I think she's proud of me, to be the next one after her."
Kerber will play Pliskova in the final after she beat the outgoing world number one Williams in New York. The Czech, who was full of confidence due to a 10-match winning streak, and served well meaning it took Williams 50 minutes to gain a break point. Pliskova attacked the American's serve and broke twice on the way to winning the first set 6-2 in just 26 minutes.
Williams, nursing a knee injury throughout this tournament, fell behind once again in the second set, but came to life to break Pliskova's serve to love and give the home crowd hope of a come-back. However, it was short lived as the match went to a tie-break and, despite letting a 3-0 lead slip, Pliskova completed the win. At 5-4 down, Williams put a forehand wide and a backhand long, before double-faulting on match point, meaning the wait for a 23rd Grand Slam continues.
Pliskova, who saved a match point on the way to a fourth round win against Venus Williams, becomes only the fourth woman to beat both Williams sisters in the first Grand Slam tournament. Speaking after the match, she said "I don't believe it, I knew I had the chance to beat anyone if I played my game. I am excited to be in the final and to beat Serena as she is such a great champion. Even when she was down a set and break she was still fighting. I had to fight hard to win."
Kerber, aiming to win her second Grand Slam, and Pliskova, playing in her first major final, will face-off on Saturday in New York.