Williams' run to Grand Slam record blocked by teenager

NEW YORK (United States): A clash of generations will decide the US opening this Saturday. Serena Williams will qualify for the fourth Grand Slam against teenager Bianca Andreescu, who was not even born when the American raised her first Flushing Meadows Trophy.

In less than equaling Margaret Court's record with 24 Grand Slam titles, Williams hopes the fourth time will do the trick, after three painful half-failures since returning to action after the birth of her first child.

Already the oldest Open Grand Slam finalist, Williams will celebrate his 38th birthday in three weeks, while his 19-year-old Canadian opponent will not be able to celebrate a win with a drink at New Bar York before two years.

"It's surreal, I do not know what to say, it's a dream come true to play Serena in the US Open final," said Andreescu after his 7-6 (3) win at 7-5. in semifinal on Belinda Bencic Switzerland on Thursday. "It's crazy."

At the end of last year, Andreescu was ranked 178th in the world and lost in the first round of qualifying for the American Open.

On Saturday, she will join Arthur Ashe Stadium, considered by many as the heir to Williams' crown as queen of women's tennis.

Just the second Canadian after Eugénie Bouchard to play in a Grand Slam final, Andreescu has rarely seemed out of place on the big stage.

His excellent season has already earned him two elite events on the WTA circuit in Indian Wells and Toronto, while his run to the US Open final only confirmed his status as the next big win.

Most notable, the 19-year-old plays only her fourth main draw in a Grand Slam, without ever having ventured beyond the second round.

The final will pit power against power, with Andreescu having demonstrated that she is well equipped to face the big hitters of the game and that few in the history of the sport have delivered more punishment than Williams.

The two men have met once before in the Rogers Cup final in August, but there is little to be had out of the match with Williams, who stopped playing with spasms on the back while he had lost 3-1 in the first set.

"She really knows how to mix the game and play different moves in different ways," said Williams assessing his opponent. "She is an excellent player.

"You never know what will come from her.

"She serves well, moves well, has a ton of power, she is very exciting to watch."

The atmosphere in Saturday's Arthur Ashe Stadium will be overflowing with memories of the chaotic and controversial finale of last year, which saw Naomi Osaka's victory overshadowed by an explosive confrontation between the referee of Carlos Ramos chair and an enraged Williams hanging in the air.

This match saw Williams deduct one point and later a match for his behavior, which included a crushed racket and called Ramos a "liar" and "thief".

Williams did his best to claim that the events of last year never happened.

At his first press conference, Williams said that she did not know Carlos Ramos. On Thursday, when asked if she had learned anything from last year, she answered the question: "It has not really crossed my mind".

(Edited by Sudipto Ganguly)