Pliskova storms into semis

NEW YORK — Czech Karolina Pliskova blew past Croatian teenager Ana Konjuh 6-2, 6-2 Wednesday to reach the semifinals of the US Open. 
Tenth-seeded Pliskova, who survived a match point in her fourth-round victory over sixth-seeded Venus Williams, will face either world No. 1 Serena Williams or fifth-seeded Romanian Simona Halep for a place in Saturday's championship match. 
"I'm so excited to be in my first semifinal," said 24-year-old Pliskova, who had failed to make it out of the third round in 17 prior Grand Slam appearances. 
Having broken through to the quarters she didn't waste her opportunity. 
With a quick break under her belt in the opening game she was able to swing freely and needed just 57 minutes to subdue Konjuh, who upset fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska in the fourth round. 
"I think it was the serve," said Pliskova, who finished off the match with two of her three aces. "My serve was very good today." On Tuesday, defending champion Novak Djokovic booked a 10th straight US Open semifinal appearance when Jo-Wilfried Tsonga retired trailing 6-3, 6-2 in their marquee quarterfinal. 
It was the third time in five matches that an opponent’s injury has worked to Djokovic’s advantage, after his walkover into the third round where Mikhail Youzhny retired after just six games. 
Ninth-seeded Tsonga gave him more of a workout, but even before an apparent left knee injury began to trouble the Frenchman in the second set Djokovic had the match well in hand. 
The Serbian world No. 1 will face another Frenchman, Gael Monfils, for a place in Sunday’s championship match after the 10th seed pummeled compatriot Lucas Pouille 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. 
It was the first time in 89 years that three French men had reached the quarterfinals of the US championships.
Tsonga was the highest seed among them, but his challenge ended with a whimper. 
Down two breaks at 2-5 in the second, he called for the trainer, wincing as his knee was manipulated.
A merciless Djokovic then served out the set at love, firing a 118 mph (189.9 Km/h) ace — his first of the contest — on set point. 
After Tsonga opened the third set with a double fault he called a halt. 
In Monfils, 12-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic will face a player whose only prior semifinal run at a major came back in 2008 at the French Open. 
Monfils was in control throughout against the 22-year-old Pouille, who was coming off an epic fifth-set tiebreaker win over 14-time major winner Rafael Nadal. 
That marked the 24th-seeded Pouille’s third straight five-setter. Whether it was a let-down after the biggest win of his career or sheer fatigue, his 44 unforced errors meant he never stood a chance against a dialed-in Monfils. 
On the women’s side, Caroline Wozniacki’s dramatic resurgence continued Tuesday when the former world No. 1 defeated a hobbling Anastasija Sevastova to reach a fourth US Open semifinal. 
The two-time runner-up, ranked at a lowly 74 after an injury-hit campaign, eased to a 6-0, 6-2 win and will face second seed Angelique Kerber for a place in Saturday’s championship match. 
Sevastova, playing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, never recovered from falling and turning her right ankle in the second game of the opening set. 
The 26-year-old hobbled from that point on and the contest was over in just over an hour with the world No. 48 having committed 30 unforced errors to the Dane’s five. 
Australian Open champion Kerber defeated Italy’s Roberta Vinci 7-5, 6-0 to reach her second semifinal in New York having also made the last four in 2011. 
Kerber holds a 7-5 career record over Wozniacki.
The German second seed showed remarkable powers of resilience to retrieve three breaks of serve against Italian 33-year-old Vinci in the first set. 
In a powerful demonstration of her title credentials, 28-year-old Kerber then wrapped up the second set of her quarterfinal by allowing Vinci just five points on her serve. 
“It’s always tough to play Roberta, she always comes out to play great tennis,” said Kerber, who last made the semifinals in New York in 2011. “I am happy to win in two sets which means a lot to me.” 
Kerber could dethrone Serena Williams, who she has already faced in the Australian Open and Wimbledon finals this year, on top of the world rankings if results go her way. 
Lopez and Lopez, meanwhile, once again beat Bryan and Bryan at a major tournament. 
The eighth-seeded Spanish doubles team of Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez defeated third-seeded Bob and Mike Bryan 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-3 in the quarterfinals to deny the Bryans their quest for a 17th Grand Slam title. — Agencies Caption: Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic celebrates defeating Ana Konjuh of Croatia at the 2016 US Open in New York Wednesday. — AFP