US Open Tennis 2018: Women's Semifinal TV Schedule, Start Times and Picks

The semi-finals of the 2018 U.S. Open take place on Thursday with Serena Williams, Anastasija Sevastova, Madison Keys and Naomi Osaka all bidding for a place in Saturday's final at Flushing Meadows.

The action kicks off on Arthur Ashe Stadium at 7 p.m. ET (midnight BST), as six-time champion Williams faces 19th seed Sevastova. They are followed by Keys' clash with Japan's Osaka.

Live coverage of both semi-finals is available on ESPN in the United States. In the United Kingdom the tournament can be viewed on Amazon Prime. A complete television schedule is available from the tournament's official website.

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Williams is just two matches away from equalling Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam wins. The American has looked in strong form so far in New York and was at her powerful best to ease past eighth seed Karolina Pliskova in the quarter-finals.

Estonia's Kaia Kanepi is the only player to take a set off Williams at this year's tournament. However, Williams came through that test to win 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 and book a date with Pliskova.

Freelance writer Ben Rothenberg noted how she has succeeded despite a tough draw:

She now goes on to face Sevastova for the first time in her career. It's also the first time the Latvian has made it to the semi-finals of a Grand Slam.

Sevastova has enjoyed some superb results in New York. She beat seventh seed Elina Svitolina in the last 16 and knocked out defending champion Sloane Stephens in the quarter-finals.

Tennis writer Courtney Nguyen noted how well she played against Stephens:

It's a career-best performance by Sevastova at a Grand Slam, but she will need to find another extraordinary display if she is to prevent Williams reaching her ninth U.S. Open final. 

The prospect of an all-American women's final remains very much a possibility, as Keys faces 20-year-old Osaka in Thursday's second match.

The American will be keen to avenge the disappointment of last year when she lost in straight sets in the final to Stephens.

If she does make it to the final, she will become the first American woman to achieve the feat since Monica Seles, per ESPN Stats & Info:

The 23-year-old has dropped only one set at Flushing Meadows in 2018. She lost the opener in the third round against Aleksandra Krunic but quickly turned the match around and won the next two 6-1, 6-2.

Keys also has a perfect record against Osaka in their three meetings so far. She beat her in three sets at the U.S. Open in 2016 and has also enjoyed victories at Indian Wells in 2017 and the 2018 French Open.

The last time the two met at Flushing Meadows was a memorable encounter. Osaka was 5-1 up in the third set when Keys came storming back to snatch victory in their third-round match.

It's not a moment she has forgotten, as shown by Metro's George Bellshaw:

Osaka is into the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career. She's also the first Japanese women to reach the last four since 1996:

This looks set to be a close contest with both players having been in commanding form in New York. Keys just has the edge when it comes to experience which could prove the decisive factor.