The Latest on US Open: Federer-Gasquet match moved up
NEW YORK (AP) The Latest on the U.S. Open (all times local):
8:55 p.m.
Roger Federer has moved into his 38th Grand Slam semifinal - and he hasn't dropped a set in this U.S. Open so far.
Federer had no trouble beating 12th-seeded Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 in the quarterfinals Wednesday night, never facing a break point and compiling a remarkable 50-8 edge in winners.
In the semifinals Friday, Federer will face Swiss Olympic and Davis Cup teammate Stan Wawrinka.
---
8:25 p.m.
Stan Wawrinka solved Kevin Anderson's serve to advance to the U.S. Open semifinals in straight sets.
The fifth-seeded Wawrinka had lost four straight meetings to the South African, but he little trouble Wednesday in a 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 victory.
Anderson, seeded 15th, had stunned Andy Murray in the fourth round to reach his first career major quarterfinal. But he couldn't recapture the magic Wednesday against another two-time Grand Slam champ.
Wawrinka broke Anderson's serve five times while facing just one break point, which he saved. Anderson had 42 unforced errors to Wawrinka's 15.
---
6:15 p.m.
Second-seeded Simona Halep beat Victoria Azarenka in three sets to reach her first U.S. Open semifinal.
Halep won 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 on Wednesday in a match delayed 1 hour, 25 minutes by rain early in the final set.
The 23-year-old Romanian had 40 winners to 19 unforced errors, while Azarenka had 38 winners to 42 unforced errors. Azarenka played the big points better for most of the match, though, converting all five of her break-point chances while Halep was just 6 for 19.
But that final break was enough for Halep, who came in with much less big-match experience than her opponent. Azarenka is a two-time Australian Open champion and took Serena Williams to three sets in the 2012 and '13 U.S. Open finals.
While Halep was the runner-up at last year's French Open, she was trying to reach just her third major semifinal. With Romanian gymnastics great Nadia Comaneci cheering her on, Halep came back from down a break in the third set to advance to the semifinals against 26th-seeded Flavia Pennetta.
---
5:45 p.m.
The U.S. Open quarterfinal between Simona Halep and Victoria Azarenka has resumed after a rain delay of 1 hour, 25 minutes.
The players were on serve in the fourth game of the third set when the match was halted Wednesday.
---
5:15 p.m.
The U.S. Open quarterfinal between Stan Wawrinka and Kevin Anderson has been moved from Arthur Ashe to Louis Armstrong Stadium because of rain.
The match was supposed to be the last of the day session at Ashe on Wednesday. But the previous match, a women's quarterfinal between Simona Halep and Victoria Azarenka, was halted early in the third set by rain. The other men's quarterfinal, between Roger Federer and Richard Gasquet, was scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on Ashe.
Switching Wawrinka-Anderson to Armstrong increases the chances that both men's quarterfinals will finish Wednesday, though more rain is in the forecast. It will start at 6 p.m. at the earliest.
---
4:20 p.m.
The U.S. Open has its first rain delay of the final year without a roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The quarterfinal between Simona Halep and Victoria Azarenka was halted in the fourth game of the third set Wednesday, the 10th day of the tournament. The players were on serve in the final set.
A roof is being constructed over Ashe and will debut for next year's Open.
A small storm system was moving over Flushing Meadows. More rain is forecast for later at night.
The match between Roger Federer and Richard Gasquet had been moved up an hour to 7 p.m. to try to beat the rain, but it is unlikely to start on time unless the other men's quarterfinal is switched to Louis Armstrong Stadium.
---
2 p.m.
Flavia Pennetta rallied from down a set and a break to reach her second U.S. Open semifinal in three years.
The Italian beat fifth-seeded Petra Kvitova 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 on a steamy afternoon Wednesday. Kvitova, who has battled mononucleosis this summer that has limited her practice time, was struggling physically by the end of the 2-hour, 23-minute match.
Pennetta, 33, made her first major semifinal at the U.S. Open two years ago, and this remains the only Grand Slam tournament where she has advanced that far.
Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champ, has never felt comfortable at Flushing Meadows; this was the first time she'd advanced past the fourth round. She led 3-1 in the second set but couldn't close out the match, committing 60 unforced errors.
With the 26th-seeded Pennetta's win, three of the women's semifinalists will be over the age of 30. Serena Williams and fellow Italian Roberta Vinci advanced Tuesday. It's the first time in the Open era that two Italian women have reached the same Grand Slam semifinal.
Pennetta will next meet a 20-something: Simona Halep or Victoria Azarenka. Azarenka beat Pennetta in the 2013 U.S. Open semis.
---
12:45 p.m.
The U.S. Open quarterfinal between Roger Federer and Richard Gasquet has been moved up an hour because of rain in the forecast.
The match was originally scheduled to start at 8 p.m. Wednesday, with the night session opening with a doubles exhibition in which Jim Courier and Mardy Fish face Michael Chang and John McEnroe.
The quarterfinal was moved to 7 p.m. in hopes it will beat the rain, with the exhibition doubles taking place afterward if the storms hold off.
