Pliskova routs teenager Konjuh to reach first Grand Slam semifinal

Tenthseeded Czech Karolina Pliskova brushed aside Croatian upstart Ana Konjuh 62, 62 Wednesday to advance to the U.S. Open semifinals, the first time she has reached the final four of a Grand Slam event.

The 24yearold Pliskova will next take on either American world No. 1 and sixtime champion Serena Williams or Romanian No. 5 seed Simona Halep, who play Wednesday evening.

The Czech world No. 11, one of the best servers on the WTA Tour, used that weapon to full effect against Konjuh, winning 92 percent of her firstserve points and 77 percent of her secondserve points over the course of the match.

Pliskova, who saved a match point in her fourthround 46, 64, 76 (73) victory Monday over American No. 6 seed Venus Williams, needed just 57 minutes against Konjuh to show that her time has come to join the elite of women’s tennis.

“I wasn’t at my best level today for sure, but she was just too good. Her serve is just too good. Today on the court, you know, she found her rhythm and took the opportunities that I gave her,” Konjuh said in the postmatch press conference.

Unlike in the match against Williams on Monday, when Pliskova made numerous unforced errors to lose the first set, the Czech came out with the confidence that her tennis was superior to that of her 18yearold opponent, who upset fourthseeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska on Monday night to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Pliskova has only faced Serena Williams on one occasion, losing 75, 62 at a hardcourt event two years ago in Stanford, California.

She has a 14 record against Halep.