The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has been working on a plan to 'Make American Tennis Great Again' and it has all come together in New York
Friday 8 September 2017 19:30, UK
The US Open women's semi-finals will look decidedly red, white and blue with Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys and CoCo Vandeweghe in action.
The US Open is guaranteed its first final between Americans since Serena Williams beat sister Venus in 2002. That was Venus' last appearance in the final at Flushing Meadows.
She will have a chance to repeat that feat when she faces unseeded Stephens before 15th-ranked Keys playing 20th seed Vandeweghe in the second semi-final on Thursday night in New York.
The Americans have not had four semi-finalists at the tournament since 1981, when Tracy Austin beat Martina Navratilova for the title. Chris Evert and Barbara Potter also made the last four that year.
The last time it happened at any Grand Slam tournament was at Wimbledon in 1985, with Navratilova and Evert joined by Zina Garrison and Kathy Rinaldi.
It has been a long wait but Keys, Stephens and Vandeweghe are now delivering on their promise and on Saturday one of them could grab a first major if seven-time major champion Venus does not add a third US Open title to her collection.
"I can't tell you how many times I have sat in this chair and had to hear how horrible tennis is in America," said Keys. "So this feels really good.
"The fact that there is going to be two all-American semi-finals, two people in the finals in Saturday, and Sam (Querrey) obviously had a great tournament.
"There is lots of young up-and-comers. I think there is a lot of good American tennis to come."
Sky Sports Tennis will have all the semi-final action from the US Open covered via our website www.skysports.com/tennis with our live blogs and updates as the Grand Slam year reaches its climax.
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We will also have coverage of the World Tour Finals in November with every match live on Sky Sports.
