Venus turns back the clock again

New York – Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams (left) became the oldest semifinalist in US Open history at age 37 on Tuesday by defeating two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2).

US ninth seed Williams, seeking her third US Open crown, advanced to a matchup against 83rd-ranked compatriot Sloane Stephens for a spot in Saturday’s final.

“I’m so fortunate to have won that match. It came down to the wire,” Williams said. “I try to tell myself enjoy the competition, enjoy the battle and I think I was able to do that.”

Stephens, who missed 11 months with a left foot injury before returning at Wimbledon, matched her best Grand Slam showing by outlasting Latvian 16th seed Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4).

“This is just incredible,” Stephens said. “When I started my comeback at Wimbledon I could never have dreamed of coming back and having these results. It’s indescribable.”

Stephens has won 13 of her past 15 matches and matched her 2013 Australian Open semifinal run for best Slam effort

Williams, who improved to 2-4 all-time against the Czech 13th seed, will return to the world top five for the first time since January 2011, a span that saw her diagnosed with the energy-sapping disease Sjogren’s Syndrome.

Williams, the oldest Grand Slam semifinalist since Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in 1994, won the 2000 and 2001 US crowns. – AFP