Shock as Vandeweghe joins American party

Garbine Muguruza will become world No 1 on Monday after Coco Vandeweghe continued America’s dominance of the women’s US Open by beating Karolina Pliskova.

Pliskova needed to at least match her achievement of last year by reaching the final to prevent Wimbledon champion Muguruza overtaking her.

She had a set point in the opener against Vandeweghe but could not take it and the 20th seed completed a 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 victory to reach her second grand slam semifinal of the season.

“When I won this event as a junior, I always dreamed about being here on the real stage,” said the 25-year-old Vandeweghe. “I did expect to succeed overnight when I was 16, but now here I am and I couldn’t wish for anything better.”

Vandeweghe joins fellow Americans Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens in the semi-finals.

Williams was pushed allthe way by Petra Kvitova in a captivating duel, eventually prevailing 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2) in a deciding tie-break after two hours and 35 minutes.

Williams said: “It definitely felt like a special match. No easy moments, not easy to hold serve or break serve. This match meant a lot to me.”

Victory also ensures Williams will return to the top five in the rankings for the first time in six years, irrespective of the result of her semi-final against Stephens.

Stephens also had to book her last-four place the hard way, coming from 3-1 down in the final set to defeat Maria Sharapova’s conqueror Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4).