Serena Williams was beaten 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the semi-finals of the US Open by Victoria Azarenka on Thursday, denying her the chance of winning a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title on home soil this year.

Belarusian Azarenka will play Japan's Naomi Osaka in her third final at Flushing Meadows on Saturday, having lost the previous two to Williams in 2012 and 2013.

Six-times US Open champion Williams came out firing winners from all sides of the Arthur Ashe Stadium court and wrapped up the opening set in little more than half an hour.

Azarenka, playing her first Grand Slam semi-final in seven years, raised her game in the second stanza and came out on top after some explosive exchanges of power-hitting.

The twice Australian Open champion kept up the pressure in the third as 38-year-old Williams struggled with an injury to her left ankle and sealed her place in the final with an ace.

Osaka downs Brady to reach final

Two-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka advanced to the US Open final for the second time in her career with a 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-3 victory over big-hitting Jennifer Brady on Thursday.

Brady arrived at her first Grand Slam semi-final without having dropped a set in New York and did not show any nerves but Osaka's firepower allowed her to get by the American 28th seed in a high-quality match.

Fourth seed Osaka, who two years ago in New York won the first of two consecutive Grand Slam titles, fired 35 winners, and had 17 unforced errors inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Osaka's victory ended a splendid US Open run for Brady, whose previous best Grand Slam performances came in 2017 when she reached the fourth round in Melbourne and New York.

Up next for Osaka will be either third seed Serena Williams or former world number one Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.