The 2010 US Open Thread/Sports Thread #2 For 9/8/10: Roger And Caroline Advance To Tennis Version Of "Final Four Weekend"

Photo: AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

Roger Federer has advanced to his 7th straight US Open semifinals, impressively dispatching of his French Open conqueror Robin Soderling 6-4. 6-4, 7-5.

It was a match that turned out to feature Federer's usual legendary mentality, winning the big points and not letting Soderling get comfortable with any lead in the match. Making the win more impressive was the 5 time champion's serving and hitting in this atrocious windy condition tonight, though credit has to also be given to Soderling for his lack of groundstroke shanks in "The Wind Bowl" that was Arthur Ashe Stadium.

But the Swede will be chastising himself over not taking his chances to turn the match around, wasting his early comeback from a break down in the 2nd set and dropping his chance to serve out the third with four brutal errors at 5-3.

And with Federer's sensing Soderling's dejection at letting his chances go to push the match further than the minimum, the 16-time Grand Slam champion punched his ticket into another Final 4 at Flushing with a love hold and an ace on match point.

Novak Djokovic awaits him for the fourth straight year at this tournament, and the third straight year at the semifinals stage. That will probably be the first set match on Saturday, considering the top half of the draw has to fully recover after having their quarterfinals tomorrow.

Earlier, Caroline Wozniacki defeated Dominika Cibulkova to advance to the semifinals of the US Open for a second straight year in a match where both players were runner up to the brutal wind.

It was the win that clearly mattered in the match for the top seed, as both players had to deal with speeds up to 30 MPH. It was a day where "Arthur Ashe Stadium" could be renamed "The Wind Bowl", as the Dane overcame the fiesty Slovakian to advance to the final four at Flushing Meadows in as many years.

Vera Zvonareva awaits Wozniacki in what will probably be the first semifinal on Friday, as Venus Williams and defending champion Kim Clijsters encounter certainly will be the highlighted match.