US Open 2013: Day 10 - Flavia breaks new ground

A delighted Pennetta reaches a first major semi-final with victory over Vinci

US Open 2013: Day 10 - Flavia breaks new ground

Former World No.10 Flavia Pennetta reached the first Grand Slam singles semi-final of her career with a 6-4 6-1 defeat of 10th seeded compatriot Roberta Vinci.

The 31 year-old was sidelined by wrist surgery late last year and has not had an easy path back.  But ranked 83 in New York she has swept past 4th seed Sara Errani, 2004 Champ Svetlana Kuznetsova and in-form Simona Halep to reach a third quarter final in five years in the big apple.

Facing her higher ranked Fed Cup teammate Vinci Pennetta proved to be the stronger Italian on the Arthur Ashe stadium.  Perhaps the pressure of knowing a win would see her crack the top 10 was too much for Vinci or perhaps it was just Flavia's time.

The first set saw some shaky tennis from both with several breaks.  Pennetta held four break points in the seventh game to go up two breaks but then found herself pegged back to 4-4 as Vinci attacked the net.

From there the older Italian took charge with six straight games as her groundstrokes and penetrating first serve reaped rewards.  A perfect forehand lob on match point gave her a final break and the match.

Of Pennetta's previous 3 quarter finals in new York she had fallen to Dinara Safina, Serena Williams (despite some glorious tennis against the American) and then in three sets to Angelique Kerber two years ago.

But now she had made it into the last four for the first time and will take on 2nd seed Victoria Azarenka after the Belarusian had too much game for Dani Hantuchova in the night session on Ashe and beat the Slovak with relative ease 6-2 6-3.

The two were due to face off in the second round at Wimbledon before Azarenka was forced to withdraw.  Now they will face off with a place in the US Open final on the line.

Men's singles round-up

Six years ago Richard Gasquet produced an incredible display of brilliance (largely on the backhand) to clinch a five set victory over Andy Roddick to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals.

Now six years down the line the mercurial Frenchman did it again with a five set defeat of David Ferrer to reach the last four at the US Open.

Gasquet was brilliant in the first two sets before seeing a characteristic fightback by the Spanish 4th set but then produced a mature performance in the fifth to come through 6-3 6-1 4-6 2-6 6-3.

The 8th seed faces a tough task in the semi-finals where he'll take on 2010 Champion Rafael Nadal who roared past Federer's conqueror Tommy Robredo 6-0 6-2 6-2 under the lights.  The World No.2 still has not lost serve yet in New York.

Gasquet will have to produce the match of his life if he's to derail the Spaniard and reach his first Grand Slam final. 

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