Arthur Ashe Stadium acclaimed an old favourite and a new one as Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka marched through to the US Open final.

Williams, who lost only three games against Anastasija Sevastova, will contest her 31st grand slam singles final and Osaka her first against the player she grew up idolising after a very impressive victory over Madison Keys.

Extreme heat and then rain limited play on the outside courts but 15-year-old Emma Raducanu from Kent matched her Wimbledon effort by reaching the quarter-finals of the girls’ singles.

Picture of the day

Naomi Osaka soaks up the cheers after reaching her first grand slam final
Naomi Osaka soaks up the cheers after reaching her first grand slam final (Andres Kudacki/AP)

Tweet of the day

No Bob, no problem

Mike Bryan, left, and Jack Sock are looking to follow up their Wimbledon title with another trophy at the US Open
Mike Bryan, left, and Jack Sock are looking to follow up their Wimbledon title with another trophy at the US Open (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Mike Bryan had not won a title with anyone except his brother Bob since 2002. But Bob’s hip injury in May, which saw him undergo surgery that put him out for the rest of the season, forced Mike to take an unfamiliar step.

But, instead of struggling without his twin alongside him, Mike has found another winning partnership with fellow American Jack Sock. After winning Wimbledon, the pair are one victory away from a second consecutive grand slam title and will take on seventh seeds Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo on Friday.

Tseng on a hat-trick

Tseng Chun-hsin is looking to match Gael Monfils' streak of junior grand slam titles
Tseng Chun-hsin is looking to match Gael Monfils’ streak of junior grand slam titles (Steven Paston/PA)

The transition from juniors to seniors is notoriously difficult but Tseng Chun-hsin is certainly a name to keep an eye on. The 17-year-old from Chinese Taipei, who is already ranked inside the top 500 in the men’s game, won the junior titles at the French Open and Wimbledon and is through to the quarter-finals of the boys’ singles here.

The last time a boy won three consecutive slam titles was 2004 when Gael Monfils triumphed in Melbourne, Paris and Wimbledon. He was unable to complete a clean sweep, with the US Open title that year going to Andy Murray.

Friday’s highlights

Rafael Nadal could be in for another battle against Juan Martin del Potro
Rafael Nadal could be in for another battle against Juan Martin del Potro (Adam Hunger/AP)

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic could set up a fourth US Open final clash, with Juan Martin del Potro and Kei Nishikori the men looking to stop them.

Del Potro has lost to Nadal at three of the last four grand slam tournaments but gave the world number one a big scare at Wimbledon and will look to reach his second grand slam final nine years after his first.

Nishikori beat Djokovic to reach his only slam final here four years ago but has lost all 13 meetings since. Raducanu takes on France’s Clara Burel in her quarter-final.