US Open 2014: Women's semi-finals preview

Video: The Independent's Paul Newman looks ahead to day twelve at the 2014 US Open

Serena Williams at the 2014 US Open. (Julian Finney| Getty Images)

Watch the latest video diary from The Independent's Paul Newman at Flushing Meadows as he previews the women's semi-final matches at the 2014 US Open.

Eight of the top nine women’s seeds fell before the quarter-finals of the US Open, but the world No 1 remains on course to defend her title. Serena Williams crushed Flavia Pennetta in just over an hour to reach the semi-final against No 17 seed Ekaterina Makarova.

Williams now has a 19-match winning streak in Flushing Meadows. Makarova is playing in her first singles Grand Slam semi-final.

The other semi-final sees 24-year-old Caroline Wozniacki, who is in a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time in nearly four years, take on China's Shuai Peng who is in her first ever major semi-final.

Victory over the unseeded Shuai would take the world No 11 to only her second Grand Slam final following her defeat by Belgium’s Kim Clijsters at the US Open five years ago.