It’s Serena time. The world number one is vying for her fourth straight US Open final, but a tricky giantkiller in Makarova stands strongly in her way.

WILLIAMS 6-1 6-3 MAKAROVA. GAME, SET AND MATCH! Serena Williams storms into her fourth straight US Open final, with an incredibly dominant performance. We’ll forgive perhaps the greatest player of all time for that slight hiccup at the end.

WILLIAMS 6-1 5-3 MAKAROVA. BREAK! Makarova gets her first break of the day after a load of nervous errors from Williams’ backhand side. She is only human.

WILLIAMS 6-1 5-2 MAKAROVA. Makarova wards off a second breadstick with some well-placed first serves. The hold also pushes the match past the 50 minute mark. Small mercies.

WILLIAMS 6-1 5-1 MAKAROVA. Serena smashes down an ace out wide and stoops over with her fist furiously pumped. She stands one game away from her fourth straight US Open final.

WILLIAMS 6-1 4-1 MAKAROVA. HOLD! Finally, Makarova gets her first hold but even that wasn’t without struggle as she found herself down 15-40 against a Serena furiously searching for a third break. A couple of fierce backhands put away her first game of the set.

WILLIAMS 6-1 4-0 MAKAROVA. It’s getting a bit scary here. With screaming running forehands, dropshots chased down, 121mph aces straight down the T, Serena holds again as what was supposed to be Makarova’s scrap for a final has now turned into a scrap for her second game.

WILLIAMS 6-1 3-0 MAKAROVA. BREAK! New game, same outcome. A couple of destructive forehands from Williams, and another break is her own once more. Poor Makarova simply can’t handle it.

WILLIAMS 6-1 2-0 MAKAROVA. Even now, Serena still has many gears to move up into. She illustrates this perfectly by raining down two searing aces in succession to hold and capture her seventh successive game since 1-1.

WILLIAMS 6-1 1-0 MAKAROVA. BREAK! The Serena express has shown no signs of stopping so far. Another break to kick off set two as Makarova continues to leak errors.

WILLIAMS 6-1 MAKAROVA. Well, that was easy. Cheers of awe as Williams demolishes a backhand straight down the line. A point later, the set is her own with the loss of only on game.

WILLIAMS 5-1 MAKAROVA. BREAK! Another break quickly comes Serena’s way, and it’s fair to say that Makarova is yet to show up at the races today as the errors fly from her racquet.

WILLIAMS 4-1 MAKAROVA. Serena thinks she has nabbed the hold with a brilliant second serve ace, but a handy challenge from Makarova sees it called out. No fear, two brilliant forehand winners later, Williams is marching to her chair with a three-game lead.

WILLIAMS 3-1 MAKAROVA. BREAK! First blood to Williams, who slips in an incredible angled forehand winner en route to break points. The first one is saved, but a Makarova error seals up the early break.

WILLIAMS 2-1 MAKAROVA. A couple of rushed errors see Williams down 15-30 and with some work to do, but she rallys back without any rallies whatsoever. Her serve, still warming up, cranks up to 116mph and a second hold is tucked away.

WILLIAMS 1-1 MAKAROVA. Quite the assured hold from Makarova, too. She finds some good first serves, powers down a really slick backhand crosscourt winner and resists some power from Willimas to hold with aplomb.

WILLIAMS 1-0 MAKAROVA. Serena serves first, Serena holds first. Some typically booming first serves from the top seed and a long backhand from the challenger hand Williams a solid first hold.