New York: Emma Navarro reached her first Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open on Tuesday with a straight-sets victory over Paula Badosa whose challenge dramatically collapsed.
The 13th-ranked American, who knocked out defending champion Coco Gauff in the fourth round, triumphed 6-2, 7-5 after trailing 5-1 in the second set.
She will face second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka for a place in the final.
“When I got to 5-2, I had an inkling that I’d win in two sets,” said Navarro who had lost in the first round on her only other two appearances at the tournament.
“Semi-finals baby. I’m ready to rock.”
Navarro, 23, swept through a 29-minute first set with breaks in the second and eighth games as a tense Badosa was undone by 16 unforced errors to the meagre five of her opponent.
The 26-year-old New York-born Spaniard hit back and raced into a 5-1 lead in the second before her game fell apart with Navarro taking the last six games of the match.
Badosa, who was on the brink of retirement due to a back injury just three months ago, finished the semi-final plagued by 35 unforced errors. Navarro had just 15.
Sabalenka in form
Sabalenka demolished Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen to reach a fourth successive US Open semi-final.
It will be a ninth career semi-final at the Slams for the 26-year-old from Belarus.
She also defeated the Chinese star at the same stage of the US Open in 2023 before going on to beat the 21-year-old again in the Australian Open final in January.
"It was important that I got the early break, that was an advantage because it's tough to face her," said Sabalenka after her 73-minute win which saw Zheng hit just nine winners.
The 13th-seeded Navarro reached her maiden Slam semi-final earlier Tuesday with a straight-sets victory over Paula Badosa of Spain.
Sabalenka and Navarro are 1-1 in their head-to-head meetings with both clashes coming this season.
The American won at Indian Wells before Sabalenka came out on top at the French Open.
"The drinks are on me if you cheer for me," Sabalenka told the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd in an effort to drum up backing for the semi-final against the New York-born Navarro.
"She's a really good player. We had two battles, they were really close."
