Unheralded American youngster Sloane Stephens caused a major upset, knocking out tournament favorite Serena Williams in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in a brilliant and tense three-setter.
Stephens, seeded 29, came from a set down, taking complete advantage of a back problem that Williams had from the second set, to oust her more illustrious compatriot 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 in two hours and 17 minutes.
Stephens will face Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals after the world number one defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova in her quarterfinal match.
However, all the attention will be on the 19-year-old Stephens, who captured her biggest victory so far in her fledgling career.
Up a set it looked like a formality for Williams, before she pulled up with a back problem midway through the second set. After that, the world number three, who has 48 unforced errors in the match, started to go for broke, with Stephens showing some astute understanding of the court, well beyond her years.
The 19-year-old took complete advantage of her opponent's problems, and pulled off the second set with a late break.
The third set saw the balance shift from one player to another, before Stephens scored the crucial break to complete a memorable victory.
Earlier, Azarenka came through a tough first set before easing to a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Kuznetsova.
The defending champion was at one point in serious trouble in the first, trailing 4-1 to the Russian. However, Azarenka found her feet and fought her way back, breaking back in the seventh game.
Kuznetsova, a former U.S. Open and French Open champion, but now only ranked 75, lost her nerve in the 11th game, allowing Azarenka to take advantage and serve out the set 7-5.
"I think we were both producing good tennis," Azarenka said. "But I felt like she was a little bit on top of me on the important moments.
"Then I turned it around and I took control in my hands and it was more up to me. I felt like was a turning point mentally and physically."
The second set was much more straightforward as the world No. 1 took complete control to setup a clash with Stephens.
"I think you cannot expect to have your best tennis on every single point, on every single game," Azarenka added. "But it's important to know that when you need it, it's there and you can rely on that.
"That's what gives you, you know, confidence. That's what keeps you fighting all the time, that you just have to try and try and try."
Azarenka knows she will not have it easy against the inexperienced Stephens, who will have absolutely nothing to lose, as the Belarusian bids to enter her second straight final. "I think Sloane is a very, very talented girl," she said. "I think over the last couple years you see her development, you know, as a tennis player.
"Her game has come together. She's all-round player, very competitive.
"I think she has a good potential. It's just a matter of her, you know, getting all those details in place and really wanting to achieve great things."
