Wow, we’re having two Belgians in the US Open semifinals, and Justine Henin is not one of them – there is less known 19-year-old Yanina Wickmayer, ranked 50th in the world, winner of one WTA title (the 2009 Estoril Open), and former world No.1 Kim Clijsters, who is playing only her third tournament after a two-year-long absence from competitive tennis. Who would have expected this?
The 2005 US Open champion Clijsters was the first to reach the semis, with her victory over Li Na. Wickmayer, who had never went further than the second round at a Grand Slam, became one of the final four players at this US Open by beating Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko 7-5 6-4 in the quarters.
For a place in the final Wickmayer will play against another teenager, either American hope Melanie Oudin or No.9 seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark. (photo: emmett.hume)
