The meteoric rise of Sloane Stephens continues.
Stephens, who has jumped more than 900 positions in the world rankings in a month, on Thursday reached her first major final, defeating No. 9 Venus Williams 6-1, 0-6, 7-5 at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, New York.
"I have no words to describe what I'm feeling, what it took to get here, just the journey I've been on," Stephens said on court after the win. "I have no words."
Her next opponent is No. 15 seed Madison Keys, who defeated No. 20 CoCo Vandeweghe in what turned out to be a thoroughly one-sided semifinal that lasted 66 minutes, 6-1, 6-2. It also will be Keys' first major final.
"It still doesn't feel real," the 22-year-old Keys said. "I'm still shaking."
This year marked the first time four American women reached the semifinals at the US Open since 1981, when Tracy Austin, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova and Barbara Potter did it. The last time it happened in a major was at Wimbledon in 1985 (Evert, Zina Garrison, Navratilova and Kathy Rinaldi).
It's the first all-American US Open final since 2002, when Serena Williams defeated Venus Williams. Stephens and Keys have played each other just once, with Stephens winning that match.
-CNN
