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Page last updated at 17:29 GMT, Friday, 10 September 2010 18:29 UK

US Open day 12 as it happened

LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY (all times BST)

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0020: And that, ladies and gentlemen, is your lot. Kim Clijsters to successfully defend her crown or Vera Zvonareva to lift her maiden Grand Slam title? All to be revealed on Super Saturday. Thanks for all your contributions, it's been a pleasure.

It's good news for a Briton
0015: A quick word for Britain's Oliver Golding after the 16-year-old and his Czech partner Jiri Vesely - the Youth Olympics champions and fourth seeds - beat Victor Baluda and Alexander Rumyantsev to reach the junior boys' doubles final. They'll battle it out with third seeds Duilio Beretta and Roberto Quiroz at about 1600 BST on Saturday on court 11.

0010: Piers Newbery certainly is and he'll be in position to guide you through what is sure to be another belting day's play at Flushing Meadows. Nadal v Youzhny in the opening men's semi-final at 1200 (1700 BST), Federer v Djokovic in the second semi not before 1445 (1945 BST) and Clijsters v Zvonareva in the women's final at 1900 (0000 BST on Sunday). Excited?

2355: Caught your breath yet? Another enthralling day at the US Open, I'm sure you'll agree. But if you thought that was good, you've got another thing coming... who's up for a bit of Super Saturday?

THIRD SET:

The match is over
Venus 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 4-6 Clijsters
And there it is, the defending champion completes her comeback with the most professional of service games to wrap up victory. She finishes with a backhand winner down the line that wrong-foots her opponent and sends her support team into raptures. Kim Clijsters beats Venus Williams to reach the US Open final. Huge ovations for both players as they make their way off Arthur Ashe. Credit to Venus - the third seed played some outstanding tennis at times - but ultimately she was outthought, outfought and outmanoeuvred by the second seed. Not a great match but an incredible battle.

Venus 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 4-5 *Clijsters
I give up. Just when you think Kim's lost the plot, she bounces back from losing her serve with a game of the very highest order. Unbelievable scenes. The defending champion tears the Venus serve to shreds with a couple of outrageous winners before brining the entire crowd to its feet - and Venus to her knees - with a lob on break point. Clijsters to serve for the match.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus* 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 4-4 Clijsters
And that, my friends, is what pressure can do to you. Kim capitulates. Back-to-back doubles faults precedes a drive-volley which sails miles long on break point. Back on level terms and if Arthur Ashe Stadium had a roof it would have been blown off its hinges by now. The atmosphere is absolutely electric.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 3-4 *Clijsters
When Venus storms through a service game like that, you can't help but feel there remains a twist or two before the night's end. Over to you, Kim.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus* 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 2-4 Clijsters
Clijsters responds in kind and is now two service holds away from victory. It's a pleasure to see the standard of tennis remaining so high but you can sense a few nerves out there. Nail-biting stuff.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 2-3 *Clijsters
Calling on her vast reserves of experience, Venus combines body serves and kickers out wide, keeping the points short to hold serve and remain in contention. Can she now make a move on the Clijsters serve?
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Venus* 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 1-3 Clijsters
In fact, Clijsters is on a 19-match winning streak at the US Open. Is she about to make that 20? A superb hold edges her one step closer. These two may lay claim to six wins apiece from their 12 meeting but the last four have all been on hard courts and they've all gone the way of Clijsters.
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Venus 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 1-2 *Clijsters
Venus looks disconsolate as Clijsters raises her game to a new level with some truly breathtaking groundstrokes, converting her one and only break point to put herself on course for what would be an unforgettable victory. Kim, I'll have you know, has never lost in the US Open semi-finals. The Belgian, a break to the good in the deciding set, is stirring.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus* 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 1-1 Clijsters
Anxious look to the play box from Clijsters, but a hold is a hold. The Belgian is unfortunate in that the wind picks up in the middle of her service game and Venus engineers a break point. But Clijsters digs in to hit a couple of laser-guided forehands through the breeze and level the set.
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Venus 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 1-0 *Clijsters
Composure restored, holds to 15. Another double fault but otherwise Clijsters can't get near the two-time champion in this particular game.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Twitter
Times tennis correspondent Neil Harman on Twitter: "Venus has a bit of a 'mare in the second set tie-break. It's down to a final set. My money on Kim now."

SECOND SET:

Venus* 6-4 6-7 (2-7) Clijsters
Now it's Venus whose serve goes to pot, chucking down two doubles to help Clijsters on her way to a 4-1 lead in the tie-break. The third seed ups the ante and forces Clijsters to net but then mistimes an easy overhead. Line-judge says it landed inside the baseline... umpire says it's long... Venus challenges... Serena types on her Blackberry... Hawk Eye says long. Venus nets and it's 6-1 to Clijsters. The crowd want a third set. My prediction was Clijsters in three - I need a third set. Clijsters flicks a forehand long but then unleashes an inside-out forehand winner to take us into a decider.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus 6-4 6-6 *Clijsters
Straightforward for Venus as she follows a rasping forehand winner with an overhead put-away and then Clijsters nets. A second double fault of the match checks the American's progress but not for long. A forehand winner seals the game and here comes the breaker...
* denotes NEXT to serve

Get involved on 606
2245: "Good hold by Clijsters there. No problem when she isn't serving for the set."
FedFan-Kim on606

Venus* 6-4 5-6 Clijsters
How Clijsters could have done with this service game a few minutes ago. No sign of the waywardness nor the lack of concentration as the defending champion keeps herself in contention with a solid hold. She's hanging in there. Just about.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus 6-4 5-5 *Clijsters
Give Venus a sniff and she'll punish you. We've seen it before and we're seeing it again. The unforgiving American punishes Clijsters with a hold to 15, levelling the set with a booming ace.
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Venus* 6-4 4-5 Clijsters
If you're an aspiring young player, please tell me you didn't watch that service game from Clijsters... if you did, forget it ever happened. Please. It was woeful. Venus is gifted the break-back and with it she snatches the momentum at a critical juncture.
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Venus 6-4 3-5 *Clijsters
Let's remember that Venus has barely played this season. In fact, she didn't play at all between Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows. Could fitness prove the difference if this goes the distance? A hold of serve keeps her in the set. Kim to serve for 1-1.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus* 6-4 2-5 Clijsters
Clijsters carves her way to 40-15. It's roles reversed from the first set - Venus isn't doing a great deal wrong, it's just that her opponent can't hit a bad ball right now. At 40-30 Kim unleashes a delicious forehand winner to leave Venus floundering at the back of the court and move to within a game of levelling the match.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus 6-4 2-4 *Clijsters
Bashed and bruised, Clijsters comes out like a wounded animal and battles her way to 15-40. The second seed's athleticism is quite astonishing as she retrieves ball after ball, repeatedly performing the splits to keep rallies alive. Venus turns on the afterburners and two unstoppable overheads see her save both break points, but the American's groundstrokes are all over the place and here's a third chance for Kim... and she takes it when Venus drills a forehand long.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus* 6-4 2-3 Clijsters
Venus comes out like a woman possessed. She wants this game badly, you can see it in her eyes. The third seed forces her way to deuce as Clijsters shanks a forehand beyond the baseline and then brings up a break point. Clijsters responds brilliantly, working her opponent side to side and then storming into the net and volleying a winner. The crowd are on their feet, Arthur Ashe is rocking. Jaw-dropping point. But back comes Venus and another break point opportunity. This time it's the American who goes on the attack and Clijsters is pinned behind her baseline. The Belgian reaches a smash but puts her return wide and we're back on level terms.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus 6-4 1-3 *Clijsters
Anything you can do I can do... equally well. Probably one of the quickest service holds you'll ever see, closed out with a thunderous ace down the 'T'. Please, ladies, slow down a touch - I trying to type.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus* 6-4 0-3 Clijsters
How better to follow up your break of serve than with a hold to love? The Clijsters fist is well and truly pumping. Do we have match on our hands? Oh yes we do!
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Venus 6-4 0-2 *Clijsters
Now then... for the first time in the match Venus comes under some serious pressure on serve and she buckles. Clijsters forces her way to advantage on her opponent's serve and then wrong-foots her with a firm forehand. Venus gets to it but can only find the net. Is the comeback on?
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus* 6-4 0-1 Clijsters
The last person we should be writing off is Kim Clijsters and she shows why with determined hold in game one of the second set.
* denotes NEXT to serve

FIRST SET:

Venus 6-4 *Clijsters
Wow. What more can you say when someone serves out a set to love against the in-form defending champion who has been tipped by many to retain her title? One foot in the final for Venus and my prediction of Clijsters in three is beginning to look ridiculous. Not over yet, though.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus* 5-4 Clijsters
Fair play to Kim for toughing it out but she looks a bit lost for ideas. The crowd warmed to the Belgian after last year's fairytale triumph, but they simply adore Venus and are willing her on at every opportunity. The 30-year-old looks in her element and will now serve for the opening set.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus 5-3 *Clijsters
If Venus can keep this up, we're going to be done and dusted in no time. The number two seed has barely put a foot out of place and holds comfortably once more. Clijsters has done little wrong, she just happens to be facing one of the greatest female players of all time producing an utterly devastating display.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus* 4-3 Clijsters
And it's the American who makes the first move, bludgeoning her way to advantage on the Clijsters serve and then fizzing over a forehand which Clijsters can only dump into the net.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus 3-3 *Clijsters
Precious little to choose between the ladies at this stage. Venus, however, does look to be stepping it up a touch, her power quite frankly astonishing. She's contesting her eighth US Open semi-final and hopes to lift the trophy for the third time.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus* 2-3 Clijsters
Just three unforced errors in five games from Clijsters. The 27-year-old, champion in 2005 and 2009, looks in sensational nick. I'm going to say Clijsters in three but please don't hold me to that.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus 2-2 *Clijsters
Back comes Venus with a lightning-quick love service game of her own, closing out with a thumping ace. These two are reeling off games quicker I can type, although that's not saying much to be fair.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus* 1-2 Clijsters
Hold to love from the most famous mother (currently) in tennis. Brutal.
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Venus 1-1 *Clijsters
A typically emphatic response from Venus, although she does manage to throw away a couple of points with silly errors. Stern look on the second seed's face. Not sure if she's immensely focused and awfully nervous. I'll go for the former.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Venus* 0-1 Clijsters
The defending champion gets up and running with a powerful hold to 15, finishing the game off by surging forward to dispatch a forehand winner. Booming groundstrokes and fluid movement from the outset.
* denotes NEXT to serve

2115: To the second semi-final we go. Venus Williams v Kim Clijsters for the right to face Zvonareva in the US Open final. No fancy, sparkly, sequined outfit for Venus today. A nice, understated black outfit. Clijsters all in blue. Game on.

2110: Hands up if you predicted that one... terrific display from Zvonareva, who becomes the fourth Russian woman to reach the US Open final and the only player other than Serena Williams to make two Grand Slam finals this year. The 26-year-old can now expect a rise to at least number four in the world. And how about a nice story about her away from there court? Go on then. After Flushing Meadows Zvonareva heads to Kazan, where she will be appointed to the organising committee for the Russian Rett Syndrome Foundation. She will also be donating a potion of her prize money from this tournament to help start the organisation. Nice touch.

SECOND SET:

The match is over
Wozniacki 4-6 3-6 Zvonareva
As bad days at the office go, this is right up there. Not for me - for Wozniacki. She slips to 15-40. Bad news for the Dane, her hopes of reaching a second successive US Open final hanging by a thread. Vera's hungry, Vera's aggressive, Vera's heading for victory. The Russian has been through about five racquets this match, breaking strings left right and centre. But nothing can blow her off course today, not even the swirling gusts on Arthur Ashe. First match point... drills another poorly-timed groundstroke into the net. That's it. Vera Zvonareva beats Caroline Wozniacki 6-3 6-3 to reach the US Open final. Great job, Vera, but what happened to Caro?

Wozniacki* 4-6 3-5 Zvonareva
Hats off to Miss Zvonareva, another commanding service hold. The 26-year-old is now within a game of her second final in as many Grand Slam tournaments. These two are 2-2 in head-to-head meetings but Vera looks set to break the deadlock.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Wozniacki 4-6 3-4 *Zvonareva
Excuse the delay, computer meltdown. Wozniacki holds, but Vera's breathing down her neck. Again.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Wozniacki* 4-6 2-4 Zvonareva
Every time pressure is applied to the Zvonareva serve she responds. Simple as that. Caro presses hard to claim a fourth successive break of the set but it's not to be. Zvonareva's first-serve percentage is up to 80%. The Russian is loving this.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Wozniacki 4-6 2-3 *Zvonareva
Or level we are not, I should say. Another woeful service game from the top seed sees Vera break to 15 and regain her advantage. WTA stats tell me that Zvonareva has a 34-2 win-loss ratio this season when she's won the first set. Wozniacki's record is 9-12 when she's lost the opener. Should she triumph today, Zvonareva is projected to rise to a career-high ranking of at least number four in the world.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Wozniacki* 4-6 2-2 Zvonareva
Vera dumps a relatively straightforward pick-up into the net to enable Wozniacki to level at deuce and the Dane is fist-pumping. She pummels her opponent with some brutal groudstrokes and the Russian nets two forehands to hand back the break. Level we are.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Text in your views on 81111
2035: "Who is this girl playing against Zvonareva and what has she done to Wozzy?"
Jeff in Canada via text on 81111

Wozniacki 4-6 1-2 *Zvonareva
Oh dear. A seventh break point of the match on the Wozniacki serve... 30-40, forehand long and there's the break. The Dane's forehand is all over the place and she looks more than a tad frustrated. Wozniacki was defaulted from the junior US Open in 2006 after verbally abusing a line-judge, but the only person she's angry with today is herself.
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Wozniacki* 4-6 1-1 Zvonareva
But Zvonareva, a singles and doubles finalist at Wimbledon, is coping fantastically well with everything thrown at her by Wozniacki. The Dane cranks up the pressure but finds no chinks in the Russian's armoury. Very solid hold.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Wozniacki 4-6 1-0 *Zvonareva
Another scratchy game from Wozniacki, saving two break points at 15-40 before scraping through. She's warned by the umpire to stop communicating with her parents in the stands. What she really needs to do is step up her game and right now would be an ideal time.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Text in your views on 81111
2025: "Am shocked by news that they have given Fed/Nole the later Saturday semi and Rafa the earlier one. Second year in a row - and Fed/Nole is likely to be the longer match. Chronically unfair decision by the US Open"
Henry in Sussex via text on 81111
Branching away from Woz-Zvo for a moment, as Henry points out "Super Saturday" will see Nadal meet Youzhny at 1200 (1700 BST) and Federer play Djokovic not before 1445 (1945 BST), while the women's final is scheduled to take place at 1900 (0000 BST on Sunday). Make of that what you wish.

FIRST SET:

Wozniacki* 4-6 Zvonareva
Well, well, well. Caro throws the kitchen sink at Vera but to no avail. The Dane moves to 15-30 with a perfectly-executed lob but - touché - Vera does likewise to level. Volleyed winner takes the Russian to set point... forehand winner from the seventh seed. Zvonareva takes the first set. Now this could get tasty...
* denotes NEXT to serve

Get involved on 606
2013: "A good start to the match but I do think Wozniacki looks nervous out there and is making a few more errors than usual so i hope she settles down as the match goes on..."
Moo_21 on606

Wozniacki 4-5 *Zvonareva
...and she does, despite a horribly mistimed forehand that allows Vera to level at 30-30. The wind is certainly playing a part out there. Vera to serve for the first set.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Wozniacki* 3-5 Zvonareva
Wozniacki seems to be struggling with the blustery conditions on Arthur Ashe Stadium. She's making negligible impact on Zvonareva's serve and her groundstrokes are inconsistent at best. The 20-year-old is now a game away from losing the opening, she must hold now...
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Wozniacki 3-4 *Zvonareva
That's much more like it from Wozniacki who, I can confirm, has once again painted her nails taxi-cab yellow. Or maybe she just hasn't washed her hands since beating Cibulkova on Wednesday.
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Wozniacki* 2-4 Zvonareva
With a first-serve percentage of just 50%, Zvonareva should be easing through service games as she is at present. The reason she's doing just that is because Wozniacki's forehand is simply not firing as it did in her opening five matches. Remember, the top seed is in the midst of a 13-match winning streak, is yet to drop a set and had conceded only 17 games before today.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Wozniacki 2-3 *Zvonareva
Sound service game from Wozniacki, closing it out with a running drive-volley that gives Zvonareva no chance. I'm lead to believe that if Wozniacki wins the title she'll move to number one in the world. How about that for an incentive. The Dane has already collected the US Open Series, so she'll pocket a bonus of $1m if she triumphs at Flushing Meadows - taking her total earnings for the fortnight to $2.7m. Small change...
* denotes NEXT to serve

Wozniacki* 1-3 Zvonareva
A break-back point for Womziacki... saved with a brilliant forehand winner. A second break-back point... saved with an ace. Gritty hold from Vera and the pressure swings back on to Wozniacki's shoulders.
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Get involved on 606
1948: "I think it's gonna be a Clijsters Wozniacki final. I am hoping for Williams Zvonereva though"
Ally Mills on606

Wozniacki 1-2 *Zvonareva
Pretty much everyone has been predicting a Wozniacki win but Zvonareva would have something to say about that. And it's first blood to the 26-year-old, breaking Wozniacki to 15 with little fuss at all. Want an interesting fact? Tough, you're getting one. This is only the fourth time since 2000 that the top three seeds have made it to the semi-finals but on none of those occasions did the top seed win the title. A bad omen for Wozniacki?
* denotes NEXT to serve

Wozniacki* 1-1 Zvonareva
Impressive response from Russian seventh seed Zvonareva. The Wimbledon runner-up winds up her late, flat forehand to seal a hold to 15. Nicely done.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Wozniacki 1-0 *Zvonareva
We're up and running, and Wozniacki survives an early scare to hold. The top seed from Denmark - the WTA Tour leader with four titles this season - finds herself in trouble at 15-40 but saves the first break point with a powerful serve out wide and the second with a blistering forehand winner. The 20-year-old then batters Zvonareva into submission with a couple of devastating groundstroke combinations.
* denotes NEXT to serve

Text in your views on 81111
1930: "Wozniacki and Clijsters for the final. Two small nations, two great players."
dsa in Perth via text on 81111

1925: And now for those very talented young ladies - Caroline Wozniacki and Vera Zvonareva. They're out on Ashe warming up and we should be under way shortly. Talking of short, Wozniacki's dark grey Stella McCartney dress is, well, short.

It's good news for a Briton
1920: A quick mention for Britain's Peter Norfolk, who made it two wins from two matches in the wheelchair quad singles today with victory over Nicholas Taylor. It's a round-robin event and Pete faces David Wagner in his final match on Saturday before playing the American again in Sunday's final. Top work from the Quadfather. Oliver Golding also plays today, in the junior boys' doubles semis. Oli was out hitting with Roger Federer this morning. Lucky so-and-so.

1910: Wonderful speech from Qureshi. "The IndoPak Express was rolling pretty well until we met these guys (the Bryans)." Lots more to follow. He thanks the Bryan bros for donating generously to an appeal fund set up for the Pakistan floods. Nice touch. Bopanna thanks his family for flying over from India this morning. They're dancing in the stands, one wearing a Beatles "Let It Be" T-shirt.

Text in your views on 81111
1905: "Gutted! I was sooo rooting for Bopanna and Qureshi. They were fearless!!"
Anon via text on 81111

USA
The match is over
1900: And there the journey ends for Bopanna and Qureshi. Bob and Mike Bryan win the men's doubles title with a 7-6 (7-6 (7-4) victory on Arthur Ashe Stadium. I make that their ninth Grand Slam doubles title. But what a story for the IndoPak Express. And now for the presentation.

1855: So all in all, another massive day at Flushing Meadows. A massive day for you good people, too. So be sure to Tweet me @bbcsport_david, text in on 81111 (UK) or +44 7786200666 (worldwide) with TENNIS before your message, or dip into 606 and I'll endeavour to publish the best comments.

1850: Caro and Vera were expected on court at around 1330 (1830 BST) but there's quite a significant match preceding them on Arthur Ashe Stadium and that one's yet to finish. It's the men's doubles final and sees brothers Bob and Mike Bryan, the top seeds, taking on 16th seeds Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi. India's Bopanna and Qureshi of Pakistan (nicknamed the IndoPak Express) lost the first set on a tie-break and they're into a second-set breaker as we speak. Not a single break of serve in the match. Tennis of the very highest order.

Twitter
Coach and commentator Brad Gilbert on Twitter: "Ladies Day! Waza has been the form player - Vera Z is nothin' but great value. I'm leaning toward the guile of Waza in 2 tight sets. The Heavy Weight-2nd semi-final - Kimmie C vs Venus. At the start of the tourney I was worried about V with the knee... seems to have found her form."

1840: Chilly day at Flushing Meadows, I'm told. Fear not. The action WILL be red hot, trust me. First up we've got Wozniacki v Zvonareva and then it's Williams v Clijsters. At stake - a place in Saturday's showpiece. Excited? You ought to be.

1830: Caroline Wozniacki. Vera Zvonareva. Venus Williams. Kim Clijsters. Four women, two matches, one goal. By the end of tonight we will know the line-up for the US Open women's final. Who's it going to be? Time for some semi-final action...




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see also
US Open day 12 photos
10 Sep 10 |  Tennis
Clijsters sets up Zvonareva final
10 Sep 10 |  Tennis
Zvonareva reaches US Open final
10 Sep 10 |  Tennis
Bryan twins win US Open doubles
10 Sep 10 |  Tennis
Norfolk wins in warm-up for final
12 Sep 10 |  Disability Sport
Order of play
23 May 09 |  Tennis
US Open day 11 as it happened
09 Sep 10 |  Tennis
Men's singles latest
21 May 10 |  Tennis
Women's singles latest
21 May 10 |  Live scores
Men's singles draw
26 Aug 11 |  Tennis
Women's singles draw
28 Jan 10 |  Tennis


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