Serena’s 24th Grand Slam title bid ended by Azarenka at US Open

Serena Williams failed to reach the final of the US Open after she was knocked out by Victoria Azarenka in the semifinal.

Williams, seeking to equal the all-time record for majors, raced away with the first set but lost 1-6 6-3 6-3 to the inspired former world number one.

With a win, the American superstar would have faced Japan’s Naomi Osaka in a replay of the 2018 final in New York, but it was Azarenka who scaled.

Williams, who suffered an Achilles problem early in the third set, had dominated Azarenka in head-to-head, winning 18 of their 22 encounters until now.

The Belarusian will face 2018 champion Osaka in the final at the weekend.

Azarenka is a two-time Australian Open champion. The Serena clash was however her first Grand Slam semi-final since 2013 after troubled times on and off the court.