US Open Tennis 2015: Women's Semifinal Start Times, TV Schedule and More
The top two seeds and two Italians who have won major doubles titles before comprise the women's semifinalists at the 2015 U.S. Open.
Serena Williams got through to the last four after a hard-earned, three-set victory over her sister Venus Williams in the quarterfinals. Williams' impending showdown with Roberta Vinci is a slight letdown from that historic clash but is vital for her to focus on as she inches closer to the calendar Grand Slam.
In the other semifinal showdown, No. 2 seed Simona Halep takes on Flavia Pennetta. Halep figures to have the best chance of knocking off Williams, provided she takes care of business in Thursday's clash.
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Below is a glance at the schedule for the semis, along with predictions for both matches.
| No. 1 Serena Williams vs. Roberta Vinci | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Williams |
| No. 2 Simona Halep vs. No. 26 Flavia Pennetta | 9 p.m. | ESPN | Halep |
No. 1 Serena Williams vs. Roberta Vinci
Although it may be a U.S. Open semifinal, this matchup is the epitome of a mismatch. Vinci has won the career Grand Slam as a doubles player, which makes her run this deep in singles all the more impressive.
ESPN Stats & Info noted how much Williams is in her element at this stage of a Grand Slam event, whereas her remaining competition is rather inexperienced:
For another prime example of the stark contrast between these two players, look no further than Vinci's mindset entering the match.
"Of course, I think I'm at the end of my career, so my semifinal, my first semifinal, it's incredible," said Vinci, via the National Post's Scott Stinson. "I did not expect one semifinal at the U.S. Open, so I'm really happy."
Williams may have a slight letdown from the quarterfinals, yet she has proved time and again that she is able to overcome slow starts. Since Vinci doesn't nearly have the groundstroke or serving velocity to wear Williams down, it's going to be a challenge for her to even force a third set on the hard court at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Nerves and an easing up from a peerless 6-2 opening set seemed to contribute to Williams' being on the wrong end of a 6-1 second set most recently. It's inconceivable to think she could play at such a level against an opponent who lacks firepower.
Eugenie Bouchard had to pull out of the tournament due to a concussion prior to her Round 4 match with Vinci. That gave the veteran time to rest, but Vinci has been pushed to three sets in each of her past three matches.
In her last outing, Vinci averaged a meager 72 mph on her second serve. If she can't hit first serves in play, her semifinals tilt with Williams will be over in short order. Even with a stellar service game, though, Vinci simply can't hang with Williams well enough to pull the upset.
Prediction: Williams wins 6-3, 6-2
No. 2 Simona Halep vs. No. 26 Flavia Pennetta
Although she was seeded much higher than her prior two opponents, Halep couldn't have asked for a much more difficult road to the semifinals.
Three sets against the blistering serve of Sabine Lisicki and resurgent, two-time Australian Open champion and multiple U.S. Open finalist Victoria Azarenka have prepared Halep well. Pennetta has done well in her own right, defeating two players seeded higher than her entering the semifinals.
Former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters praised Halep's play—and Clijsters knows what it takes to win in Queens as a three-time U.S. Open winner:
After losing the opening set to Petra Kvitova, Pennetta bounced back and lost only six games from there. She has to have plenty of confidence, especially considering her history against Halep, as noted by the New York Times' Christopher Clarey:
If a Halep-Williams finale isn't a foregone conclusion, it's likely what most tennis fans will hope to see.
As hard as Halep had to battle to get to this stage, she's bound to have even more resolve to draw on as she tries to reverse the trend of losing to Pennetta.
It almost seems inevitable that Williams will cap off the year with all four majors in her possession. She is the three-time defending champion at Flushing Meadows. Still, Halep pushed Williams to two tough sets in the Cincinnati Masters and defeated her last October as well.
Still just 23 years old, Halep has a lot of tennis ahead of her but could use the rest of the U.S. Open as a huge springboard into the probable prime of her career. A triumph over Williams would cement Halep's status as a legitimate superstar. With an opportunity like that on the horizon, don't expect Halep to trip up against Pennetta once more.
Prediction: Halep wins 7-5, 6-4
Note: Stats courtesy of USOpen.org.
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