Forza Italiapublished at 20:10
And quite incredibly, that means we will have an all-Italian women's singles final. Between Flavia Pennetta, the world number 26, and Roberta Vinci, the world number 43.
Unbelievable...
Summary
Federer thrashes Wawrinka 6-4 6-3 6-1 to reach Sunday's final
Djokovic beats Cilic 6-0 6-1 6-2 in first semi-final
Roberta Vinci stuns Serena Williams in women's semis
Unseeded Vinci ends Williams' hopes of calendar Grand Slam
Fellow Italian Flavia Pennetta beats Simona Halep 6-1 6-3
Forza Italiapublished at 20:10
Postpublished at 20:07 British Summer Time 11 September 2015
Jeff Tarango
Former professional tennis player on 5 live sports extra"You can look back on this in 10 years - and say this is one of the biggest upsets in sporting history, especially with Serena going for the calendar Grand Slam. I can't recall seeing, in the history of women's tennis, the first and second seeds losing in the semi-finals of a Grand Slam."
Image source, Getty ImagesPostpublished at 20:07
Roberta Vinci is absolutely brilliant. Mad as a box of frogs, but brilliant. Get this woman on the late-night chat shows. Heck, get her her own chat show!
Player reactionpublished at 20:05
Williams 6-2 4-6 4-6 Vinci
Roberta Vinci: "I'm sorry for the American people, for Serena, the Grand Slam, everything...but today is my day.
"I'm proud of myself, my fight and my game. I'd like to say thank you to my coach and my team - grazie!
"I will enjoy this moment today - and then tomorrow we will see."
Image source, APPlayer reactionpublished at 20:04
Williams 6-2 4-6 4-6 Vinci
Roberta Vinci: "When I woke up this morning I said to myself I have a semi-final, just enjoy it, don't think about Serena. I didn't expect to win - but I won!
"I said in my mind 'put the ball on the court and run. And don't think about Serena on the other side of the court'."
Player reactionpublished at 20:03
Williams 6-2 4-6 4-6 Vinci
Roberta Vinci: "This is an incredible moment for me - amazing. It is like a dream. I'm in the final, I beat Serena...phew.
"So many things are in my mind. It was an incredible match, I lost the first set, and tried to stay in every point. I tried to stay focused and not think about Serena. It is the best moment of my life."
Image source, Getty ImagesPostpublished at 20:00
"What gave you the belief that this moment was possible?" Roberta Vinci is asked.
"No," she replies.
Full quotes (from what I must say is an endearingly bonkers post-match interview) to come...
Postpublished at 19:58 British Summer Time 11 September 2015
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports ExtraQuote MessageVinci has never been to a Grand Slam semi-final before, let alone a Grand Slam final.It was a virtuoso masterclass from the Italian - Serena Williams had no answer. New York is in shock.
David Law, BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commentator
Game, set and matchpublished at 19:57
Williams 6-2 4-6 4-6 Vinci
Image source, Getty ImagesThat is utterly extraordinary. I think we may just have seen the greatest sporting upset of the 21st century. Roberta Vinci is in tears.
The Italian served out nervelessly for the biggest win of her career, taking the final point with a magnificent pick up off her toes. The Serena Slam is over.
Postpublished at 19:56
Serena sends another easy volley into the net. Three match points for Vinci...
Image source, APPostpublished at 19:55
Serena gets a gimme second serve on the first point, but swats it into the net. Then Vinci plays a lovely volley to bring up 30-0. She's two points away...
Williams 6-2 4-6 4-5 Vinci*published at 19:52
Serena is looking so tentative out here as the dream of the Grand Slam slips away. A leaden-footed forehand finds the net, and she's 0-15 down. But she's not a champion for nothing - she reaches into the locker and pulls out two aces to take her to 40-15. She cleans up the game with an emphatic smash. Drake Watch: pacing nervously. Vinci has a long changeover to think about serving for the match. Against Serena Williams...
Image source, APPostpublished at 19:50 British Summer Time 11 September 2015
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports ExtraQuote MessageThe American crowd can't believe this. There a few rows of people in Vinci's box going absolutely ballistic. But everyone else in this 20,000-plus crowd are about to have the biggest balloon popped.
David Law, BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commmentator
*Williams 6-2 4-6 3-5 Vincipublished at 19:48
You know what we need right now? 'Wannabe' by the Spice Girls. Thankfully the DJ at Flushing Meadows obliges with a burst of the 90s classic over the PA system. Now, can Vinci hang on to her advantage?
Serena gets to 15-30 with a nerveless high putaway. Vinci has gone too defensive here - she's throwing up too many lobs, and the American smashes another one away to bring up two break points. Serena sends the first one long, she's in control of the second rally - but she steers the ball into the tramlines!
Another tight backhand goes into the net, and Vinci has game point. And she throws in a double! Unbelievable. Serena, though, has lost all confidence on the length of her groundstrokes - another one sails over the baseline to give Vinci a second opportunity. And she takes it when Serena fires wide! She's one game away...
Image source, Getty ImagesPostpublished at 19:43 British Summer Time 11 September 2015
Jeff Tarango
Former professional tennis player on 5 live sports extraSerena's game has no firm structure and she hasn't figured out a plan B - she is just relying on being Serena out there. Serena needed to regroup - I think that was a good time to call the trainer. She needs to play some smart tennis to win.
Postpublished at 19:41 British Summer Time 11 September 2015
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports ExtraQuote MessageThis is an unbelievable atmosphere inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Roberta Vinci doesn't care a fig for history - she wants to create her own history. What a story this is.
David Law, BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commentator
Image source, APVinci breakspublished at 19:41
Williams 6-2 4-6 3-4 Vinci*
Oh my word. Serena is unravelling like a cheap Christmas jumper out there - two consecutive double faults allow Vinci to open up 15-30. Drake Watch: looking anxious. Vinci has a double break point on her racquet, but puts a simple volley into the tramlines. How crucial could that be?
Vinci then misses a pass, but now it's Serena's turn to net an easy volley, and it's deuce. Serena sends down an absolute missile, and then, something utterly extraordinary.
Serena looks to have won the next point on two or three occasions, but each time Vinci is there, scrambling furiously, to get the ball back, until finally she seals an incredible point with a volley into the open court. A superb reaction, yelling maniacally and pointing at herself, as if to say to the New York crowd 'Give me some love!'
Vinci then conjures a break point, and to audible gasps from the crowd, Serena fires long. Could the unthinkable be about to happen?
Image source, AP*Williams 6-2 4-6 3-3 Vincipublished at 19:32
It's not exactly pretty to watch Serena when she's like this, almost running on fumes, but you have to admire the way she's drawing on every last drop of emotional energy out there.
She's expending plenty of energy out there, as much from the mouth as from the arms - a loud cry of 'Oh no!' follows a misdirected forehand. Vinci, remaining calm amid the tumult, continues to work Serena cleverly around the court, bringing up 40-15 with an accurate forehand, and sealing the game with a big serve.
Image source, APPostpublished at 19:29 British Summer Time 11 September 2015
Jeff Tarango
Former professional tennis playerQuote MessageI think the humidity has affected Serena's racquet - the strings look a lot looser and spongier. I think she could be in trouble here.That was quite rude from Serena - when she won that 40-15 point Vinci looked at her and Serena waved her fist up in her face. The gloves are off.
Image source, ReutersWilliams 6-2 4-6 3-2 Vinci*published at 19:29
*denotes next to serve
Vinci is playing the match of her life out there - she plays another fine point that ends with Serena sending up a lob that she marmalises down the line.
Serena needs to get herself going, which she duly does. An error from Vinci at 15-15 prompts an almighty 'Come on!', which she surpasses when a cross-court backhand kisses the line on the next point. A big serve gives her the hold.