Serena brushes aside Makarova to set up final date with Wozniacki

NEW YORK: Serena Williams will fight for an 18th Grand Slam title against Caroline Wozniacki after sweeping past Ekaterina Makarova 6-1, 6-3 on Friday to reach the US Open final.

World number one Williams, winner of the past two titles at Flushing Meadows and five overall, will try to match Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on 18 career major titles when she faces her good friend Wozniacki on Sunday.

Despite her 17 major wins, Williams, too, was overjoyed to return to the final, having failed to make it out of the fourth round at any major so far this year. "Oh my God, it feels so good," said Williams, who sank almost to her knees screaming "Yes!" when Makarova pushed a last forehand wide. "I´m so happy, you have no idea."

Makarova had held her first service game for 1-1 in the opening set, Williams won the next nine games, turning up the volume to finish with 24 winners on an increasingly windy Ashe court.

The American superstar needed exactly one hour to subdue 17th-seeded Makarova, who was playing in her first Grand Slam semi-final after coming up empty in four prior quarter-final appearances.

Williams played three straight tournaments in the build-up to the Open, winning titles in Stanford and Cincinnati and reaching the semi-finals in Montreal.

Along the way she beat Wozniacki twice, in the quarter-finals at Montreal and semis in Cincy, both times needing three sets. (AFP)