Ferocious start from Sabalenka, striding into the net to pummel away a forehand and take an early break.

Aryna Sabalenka dishes a return long and that should settle the nerves of her teenage opponent.

And then what a rally! The ball was popping across court like a round of table tennis, before Leylah Fernandez clips the tape and Sabalenka puts away a winner. Two break points.

A cheer echoes around Arthur Ashe Stadium as Canadian Leylah Fernandez steps towards the baseline to serve for the first time in this semi-final.

Aryna Sabalenka takes all that energy and steers a screaming return beyond the 19-year-old, before the teenager prods wide. 0-30.

A string of thunderous serves to open proceedings for the second seed, rifling her way to 40-0 before Leylah Fernandez gets a return in and then capitalises on Aryna Sabalenka rattling an overhead that catches the tape. It's the only blemish as she holds.

Right then, for a place in the US Open final, away we go...

Aryna Sabalenka will serve first.

Leylah Fernandez was briefly - before Emma Raducanu's win - the youngest woman to reach the US Open singles semi-finals since Maria Sharapova in 2005, getting there a day after her 19th birthday.

As British tennis player Naomi Broady told BBC Radio 5 Live Sport: "This is not a flash in the pan. Fernandez has backed it up match after match."

Her father, who coaches her, is an ex-professional footballer. As a child, Fernandez says she believed she could beat him in games of backyard football - and it is that self-confidence that has backed up her performances in New York.

She credited her dad, who is at home with her young sister, with giving her tactical support. Her lively support box is led by her fitness coach Duglas Cordero who constantly asked them to make more noise.

"My dad told me so many things but today he told me to have fun," she said.

"He said fight for every point and to not make the quarter-finals my last match and fight for my dream."

Image source, Getty Images

Standing in the teenager's way of a maiden Grand Slam final is second seed face Aryna Sabalenka, who is the highest seed remaining in the women's draw and has dominated her draw.

The Belarusian - aged just 23 herself - has been a consistently strong performer on the WTA Tour but had struggled at Grand Slams, before finally making her breakthrough at Wimbledon last month where she reached the last four.

Her quarter-final against Barbora Krejcikova, who stormed to her maiden Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros earlier this year, promised much, but the Czech was hampered by either an injury or fatigue as Sabalenka eased into the final four.

Image source, Getty Images

Leylah Fernandez has already beaten defending champion Naomi Osaka, 2016 winner Angelique Kerber and Elina Svitolina in New York, showcasing all of her devastating power to see off the latter in a tense tie-break 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-5) in the semi-finals.

She has shown remarkable composure, backing up her easy power with a calmness and composure on court, and was given a lengthy ovation by the fans on Arthur Ashe after her latest victory.

"I honestly have no idea what I'm feeling right now. I was so nervous throughout the whole match," she said.

"I was honoured to have a fight with Svitolina. I just told myself to go for every point. I'm glad I did."

Image source, Getty Images

New York, New York... the place where teen dreamers become Grand Slam champions?

Great Britain's very own Emma Raducanu is up later, but first another teenager tearing up the script at Flushing Meadows goes for a place in the US Open final.

Canada's Leylah Fernandez, who turned 19 on Monday, is up against second seed Aryna Sabalenka.