LOOKAHEAD TO THURSDAY
For as much as she's done, and as long as she's been around, Serena Williams figures that, with her 37th birthday approaching in a few weeks, she won't have chances to contend for Grand Slam titles forever. "I don't have 10 more years. At least, I don't think so," she said, then added with a knowing smile: "I said that 10 years ago." She will attempt to reach her ninth U.S. Open final — but first since winning the title in 2014 — when she faces No. 19 seed Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia in the semifinals at night. Williams has lost her past two semifinals at Flushing Meadows, in 2015 against Roberta Vinci and in 2016 against Karolina Pliskova. The American is bidding for a seventh U.S. Open championship and 24th Grand Slam singles trophy overall, which would tie Margaret Court for the most in tennis history (Williams already owns the record for the most in the professional era). Sevastova, meanwhile, will be participating in her first semifinal at any major tournament. She has never faced Williams. The night's second semifinal will be No. 14 Madison Keys of the U.S. against No. 20 Naomi Osaka of Japan. Keys has won all three previous head-to-head matchups, including when she came back from a 5-1 deficit in the third set at the U.S. Open two years ago and a straight-set victory at the French Open this year.
THURSDAY'S FORECAST
Chance of rain. High of 92 degrees.
WEDNESDAY'S WEATHER
Sunny. High of 90 degrees.
WEDNESDAY'S SINGLES RESULTS
Men's quarterfinals: No. 6 Novak Djokovic beat John Millman 6-3, 6-4, 6-3; No. 21 Kei Nishikori beat No. 7 Marin Cilic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4.
Women's quarterfinals: No. 14 Madison Keys beat No. 30 Carla Suarez Navarro 6-4, 6-3; No. 20 Naomi Osaka beat Lesia Tsurenko 6-1, 6-1.
STAT OF THE DAY
Zero — Times that Japanese players reached the men's and women's singles semifinals at the same Grand Slam tournament until Wednesday, when Nishikori and Osaka did it.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"What I really love about Naomi is that, like, she really preserved that innocence, somehow. So if she's sad, she's going to show it. If she's happy, she's going to show it. There is no fake emotions." — Sascha Bajin, Osaka's coach.