Hello and welcome to live coverage from the first of the two semi-finals between world number one Victoria Azarenka and world number three Maria Sharapova, the highest two seeds left in the women’s draw

AZARENKA 3-6 6-2 6-4 - GAME, SET & MATCH - A first match point goes begging for Azarenka as her change-of-direction forehand down the line drifts just wide. But she gets a second chance and this time THE PLACE IN THE US OPEN FINAL IS AZARENKA'S as Sharapova sends a cross court forehand long

AZARENKA 3-6 6-2 5-4 - Azarenka now just a game away from the US Open final for the first time in her career as she once again dominates on serve. Can Sharapova hold to stay in it?

AZARENKA 3-6 6-2 4-4 - Sharapova levels up again, finding her eighth ace (and third of the set) at just the right time to hold and keep the pressure on Azarenka

AZARENKA 3-6 6-2 4-3 - Azarenka finally posts a more comfortable service hold to sneak in front once again. It's just a case of who blinks first at this stage. Azarenka leads, albeit on serve, and is potentially just two games away from her first US Open final

AZARENKA 3-6 6-2 3-3 - Sharapova's turn to throw away a comfortable lead in a service game as back-to-back-to-back backhands into the net, off admittedly tricky shots from Azarenka, see the Belarusian level at deuce. And Sharapova throws away another three game points, one with a double fault, before going on to hold after nearly 10 minutes again

AZARENKA 3-6 6-2 3-2 - Sensational tennis from Azarenka as she moves up the court before finding an off-forehand winner on the angle to hold from deuce. She had looked like cruising through another service hold at 40-0 up before back-to-back forehand drive volley winners from Sharapova followed by an error from Azarenka put the pressure on the Belarusian

AZARENKA 3-6 6-2 2-2 - A tough. 10 plus minute service game for Sharapova as Azarenka pushes her all the way to deuce before the Russian can hold, at the third attempt when her opponent sends a forehand return of serve into the net

AZARENKA 3-6 6-2 2-1 - Azarenka is firmly in control of her service games now, not like the first set, and she slings all the pressure back over the net at Sharapova as she holds once again with no trouble

AZARENKA 3-6 6-2 1-1 - Sharapova eases through a relatively straight forward service hold to level up early in this third set

AZARENKA 3-6 6-2 1-0 - A great bit of defence from Sharapova sees her get a point on the board against the Azarenka serve but the Belarusian holds without too much trouble to get this final set underway

Sharapova is now back with Azarenka raring to go. It's a one-set shoot-out. Who will reach the US Open final?

The players have taken pretty much the full 10 minutes they are entitled to but they are now. Azarenka is back on the court and hitting a few practice balls but Sharapova is taking a few more minutes, using the the full 10 minutes for all they are worth

It looked like there would be a break for the heat in between that seocnd and the final set. But then the umpire was caught on the microphone talking to Azarenka and it sounded like Sharapova is just leaving the court for a comfort break or to change her dress. Maybe it will not be the full 10 minutes. Azarenka then followed Sharapova off the court though

AZARENKA 3-6 6-2 - SET - A stunning forehand winner down the line sees Azarenka grab her first point of the game, and consecutive double faults from Sharapova see the Belarusian level at deuce before a Sharapova error on the drive volley hands the world number one a set point. Sharapova saves it with a stunning point and some great baseline hitting but Azarenka gets a second chance with a change of direction forehand winner, before wrapping it up with a forehand drive volley winner

AZARENKA 3-6 5-2 - Azarenka beginning to lose her discipline a little again now as she lets out a squeal after slapping a forehand into the net to concede a break point. She saves it with a cracking forehand winner down the line but another great point from Sharapova brings up a second chance. But again Azarenka saves it, this time with a backhand winner, before going on to hold with a backhand stop volley winner. Sharapova will have to serve to stay in this second set next

AZARENKA 3-6 4-2 - Sharapova finally stops the rot with a hold to 30 when she finds a forehand winner, a backhand just wide across court squandering the first chance she had

AZARENKA 3-6 4-1 - Azarenka is really beginning to run away with this second set now as she posts another easy service hold to consolidate the break and leave herself potentially just two games away from levelling this match

AZARENKA 3-6 3-1 - BREAK - Azarenka plays almost the perfect point, pushing Sharapova wider and wider until the Russian is so out of position that Azarenka can switch directions for the cross court backhand winner. That brings up a a break point for the world number one and a double fault from Sharapova concedes the game

AZARENKA 3-6 2-1 - A speedy service hold from Azarenka sees her take the lead for the first time in this match, albeit only in this set. A double fault is the only blip in the game, but coming at 40-0 up, it was not too costly

AZARENKA 3-6 1-1 - BREAK - Sharapova misses a chance to take the game when she sends an off-forehand just wide into the tramlines. And Azarenka earns herself a break point when she catches Sharapova in no mans land with a blistering forehand at her opponents feet. And Azarenka does break back, forcing the error from Sharapova with another cracking return