Wozniacki wins battle of the teens

Caroline Wozniacki brought fellow teenager Melanie Oudin's giant-killing run at the US Open to an end under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium last night.

American 17-year-old Oudin, ranked 70th in the world, had grabbed all the headlines in the women's singles over the previous nine days as she upset a series of Russian seeds en route to the quarter-finals.

Yet having knocked out No.4 Elena Dementieva, former champion and 29th seed Maria Sharapova and 13th seed Nadia Petrova in come-from-behind three-setters, Oudin finally met her match as 19-year-old Danish ninth seed Wozniacki, also playing her first grand slam quarter-final, defeated her in straight sets 6-2 6-2.

Wozniacki's win sets up a semi-final clash with another unseeded teenager, world number 50 Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium, a 7-5 6-4 winner over Kateryna Bondarenko of the Ukraine.

"Today was a really tough match," Wozniacki said. "Melanie had such a great run and she played an amazing tournament so I'm just going to enjoy this match.

"The next match I have nothing to lose. I mean, I'm in the semi-final of a Grand Slam."

Oudin was also in a positive mood following her exit.

"I can take a lot from this," Oudin said. "I've had a great run here but Caroline had a great match today. I hope to come back next year and do even better."

The American had begun poorly in her first night match in a still filling Ashe Stadium, losing serve in the second game and going 3-0 down, then again in the sixth game as Wozniacki took a 5-1 lead.

An otherwise flat performance was lifted in the next game as Oudin showed some of the fighting spirit which had overcome her Russian foes in previous rounds to break back as the Dane surrendered on a double fault.

Wozniacki simply broke again and grabbed the opening set in the next game.

Another fightback from Oudin looked on the cards when she earned a double break point in the third game of the second set but Wozniacki saved them both and rode her lock to take the game via a net-cord as the ball plopped over the net into Oudin's court.

Oudin's next chance came in the fifth game when she twice won break points and twice saved game points, Wozniacki double faulting with on the second of her chances before taking the game at the third opportunity when the American netted a forehand.

From there it was all uphill for Oudin, falling 0-40 behind in the next game with Wozniacki adding insult to injury by taking the game thanks to another net cord to go 4-2 up.

Wozniacki held serve and Oudin could do nothing to stop the Dane's momentum losing serve and the match in the next game.

Wickmayer, meanwhile, said she was staying calm about her surprise progress to the semi-finals.

The Belgian teenager, ranked 50th in the world, had not previously got past the second round of a Grand Slam event but she reached the last four with a straight sets win over Ukraine's Kateryna Bondarenko at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 19-year-old now becomes the second Belgian to reach this year's semi-finals, joining former world number one Kim Clijsters in the last four at Flushing Meadows.

Wickmayer defeated Bondarenko, ranked two places below her, 7-5 6-4, coming from 4-1 down in the second set to win her first grand slam quarter-final.

"It has surprised me in one way," Wickmayer said. "I have been felling really well the last few weeks.

"I've been playing a couple of great matches and I'm really playing with a lot of confidence.

"Coming here I was feeling pretty good and physically and mentally really strong ...but if it's the first great grand slam you've played, when you get to the third, fourth round you start surprising yourself.

"But actually, I've been staying pretty calm. I've worked really hard for this."

Wild card Clijsters is set to play her semi-final against defending champion and second seed Serena Williams, the only player from the top eight left in the women's draw.

Both semis are scheduled for Friday.