Evening all! We're right here for Sloane Stephens v Venus Williams; this should be a belter.

So, that's that. Join me next door to see whether Vandeweghe or Keys will meet Stephens on Saturday evening.

What an odd scoreboard this is. But what a match that was. Phew!

Stephens is looking strong now, not going for it because she knows an error is more likely than a winner from the other side. But at 15-0 that's what we get, Williams playing a fine point and finishing with two backhand volleys. Nevertheless a quick point gives Stephens 30-15 and her forehand dominates the next one! Match point! And Venus nets a backhand! Well played Sloane Stephens! After a year from hell, she comes from nowhere to beat a legend, hanging tough before finally asserting herself in an unbelievably tense, dramatic, epic set! She reaches the final, her first in a Slam, and we may just see a different player from here.

Venus is in big trouble with her volleying, and she backs away from a smash then shovels one over, ending up lobbed in a point that was hers. Basically Stephens is solid as, and what a shot she finds after Venus gets a helpful net cord, sprinting to the ball and cutting an acute angle along the net for a winner. 0-30! And soon 0-40, Williams forced to force it and missing! And there it is! Williams catches a backhand with the throat, and Stephens, ranked out of the top thousand just a few weeks ago, is going to serve for the match!

This set has been some of the best sport you'll ever see. Not the highest standard, but a serious standard given the stakes will so many fluctuations, not just within games but within points - which have been epic in themselves. At 15-0, Venus finds two monstrous forehands, a return then a hook so good it breaks the sideline before the service box! Stephens remains diffident though, making 30-15, but then Venus' favourite down the line forehand puts her two points away. And here we go! Another long rally, Venus taking charge with two beautiful backhand slices, only for Stephens to scoop a phenomenal backhand pass down the line! That is a brilliant shot! And it gives her the impetus to clean up quickly, so we're back level!

The start of this game is slow, relatively speaking, three short points giving Williams 30-15. But a tired first serve should put Stephens on alert because her second has not been great, and there it is, arcing wide down the middle; that's her sixth double. And then she goes long with a forehand; break point yet again! Venus whams a forehand from centre to backhand corner, clipping the line ... Stephens nets, and Venus' shot is called out! My days, this is terrifying stuff; she challenges and we're back to deuce. Next point is a longer one and Williams isn't hitting as hard as she was, but she dominates nonetheless and this time waits for the error, Stephens going line when she should go cross, then netting to hand the hold. Williams is a game away! Brace, brace!

A nice easy hold is what Stephens needs here ... good luck with that. Shonuff it's quickly 0-30, but Williams then nets a forehand; enormous point coming up. Stephens' first serve is wide but her second isn't short enough for Venus to climb in properly, and eventually she goes wide with a backhand! Huge chance for Stephens, but when a slice draws Williams to the net and elicits a frankly crap drop shot, she nets her response! Break point, for the fifth service game in a row, and this time Stephens tightens, a 62mph second serve given the treatment it deserves. If Venus holds next up, you'd fear for her.

Again Williams forces things and finds herself 15-30 behind, but closes with an inside-out backhand onto the line. I mean, I know why she's going for lines - Stephens gets to so much - but it's not really working, because she misses again and has to save a break point; she does. These games are murderously tense now, and advantage down, Stephens chases down a forehand, a squash-shot response forcing Venus to play one more shot ... she nets. And what a point follows, Venus dominating again but unwilling to risk the overhead, Stephens hanging in there and eventually outlasting! Break point again! Brilliantly saved, huge second serve, massive forehand at the net. This is the tensest set I've seen in ages, and again Stephens mixes it up well to stay in the point, then turns it up to win it ... and Venus nets a volley! Stephens is fighting her arse off here, she's really improved these last few games, and she's back up a break! Two holds and she's there!

And here we go. Venus senses weakness and attacks it, booming groundstrokes giving her 0-15. But Stephens responds well, hitting lazily but devastatingly, her hands so quick through the ball ... 15-all, and then Venus shows her how it's really done, twice. Stephens saves the first break point with a serve and clean-up, and then again Venus dominates a rally only to come in and botch her volley! Deuce again! And then Stephens handles things, a tremendous hold!

This is a really fun match now, if you're not playing in it. The rallies are longer and I wonder if Williams, the better player, is starting to tire. Stephens sticks it to her at the start of this game, outlasting her in the first rally and forcing her to smash in the second; Venus, primed to win the point, should let the ball bounce, doesn't, and sends a horrible effort long. She quickly makes it 30-all though, but we end up at deuce and Venus somehow bundles a volley over the net and in; both players are feeling it now ... and to prove it, there's a double fault! But Venus hangs on to make it three games in a row - three tense as you like games in a row - and the pressure is now all on Stephens. What has she got?

Venus gets herself up in the game and Stephens misses a serve by plenty - Venus will climb into her second go ... and an inside-out forehand onto the line puts her with two points of the break-back. Stephens then goes long, so here we go! Venus nets, one saved; Venus returns well, hits the line and it's called out! Replay the point, not entirely fair as it was only going on way ... and Stephens plays it well, two saved; and Venus then dominates the next rally, Stephens hangs in there, Venus doesn't go for lines this time and eventually nets! Deuce! But ouch, that's gotta hurt; after all that, Stephens makes two unforceds, andt here's the break back!

Stephens bullets a forehand to go up 0-15 and then Venus misses another should-be-winner! She's making chances, then snatching at them! But she levels at 30-all, and it still seems to my inexpert eye that if she stays patient Stephens can't live with her. But at 40-30 Stephens steps-to, moving inside the line to force deuce ... only for Venus to close out.

Williams wins the first point of Stephens' consolidation game, and the rallies are getting longer now, both players playing better. Williams sets up the next point, then rushes to the net and puts her volley wide! She needs to stay back because Stephens can't outhit her, I don't think - and perhaps that's why Stephens comes to the net, dumping her volley to cede two break-back points. And how brilliantly does she saves the first one thanks to an extraordinary rally with both players changing direction, before Williams unexpectedly nets a forehand down the line from half-court! Deuce, and these are huge moments now. Williams grabs the nettle, going for it on the forehand, but she's wide! The another long rally, dominated by Williams but Stephens hanging in there, and Williams is well wide with her backhand down the line! Huge hold, but Williams still the better player - she just needs to stay patient.

So can Stephens find something? Can Williams maintain the heat? Er, I've no idea and yes, probably, I'd guess. And at 15-all Venus strides after a wide ball, whamming it back cross-court for a devastating winner ... but then goes wide on the forehand. 30-all, and Williams goes long! Break point after six games in a row! And Stephens takes it, Williams coming to the net and turning a half-court ball into one at her ankles! Well!

Stephens needs a hold here, she doesn't want Williams serving first in the decider and needs to generally feel better too. At 15-all she hangs tough, a booming forehand eventually winning her the best rally of the match; might that do it for her? Well, at 40-15, Williams wins a point at the net - she makes a mess of a drop shot, but her volley is good when Stephens tries to pass - and an unforced error then brings them to deuce. They go backwards and forwards, but then another error from Stephens resigns her to the bagel! Amazing from Venus, but a set with both players playing well would be nice.

Stephens is struggling under the onslaught here, shaking her head as she goes long again to give Williams 40-15. She needs to use the rest of this set to hit her way into confidence for the decider, because this set is basically over. Amazing from Williams really, to improve so much so fast.

So what does Stephens have? She'll surely have expected this - earlier, really - but she's not getting away with soft-arse second serves anymore. Time's up! And Venus batters one back past her then, after she closes, a forehand down the line gives 15-30 and an error 15-40; two points for the double break, then. Stephens saves the first, but has no chance with the second, a mahoosive backhand return sending her wide and a lovely volley cinching the game.

Venus played herself in during that long hold and she's flying now, holding to love and looking altogether happier with life.

Hello Venus! She's arrived at the party, fashionably late, but at least she's here now, racking up to break points with a backhand nailed down the line. Stephens doesn't blink though, dominating the next rally and clearing up with a big forehand ... but then double faults. We've got ourselves a ball game!

Williams slices a drop, and Stephens not only catches up with it but flicks up a perfect lob. Lovely stuff, and it's soon 0-30; it really is impossible to overstate how badly Venus is playing here. She finds a backhand down the line to reassure herself, but then inserts a double fault - her 17th unforced error - only to save the first of two break points with a big forehand down the line. The second almost goes in a double fault, but what actually happens in the end is that Stephens miscues a return; deuce. Backhand winner for Stephens, with a bit of help from the net, sets up a third break point, and this one is saved by proper Venus, a serve and some punishing groundstrokes laying the smack down; perhaps she's played herself into nick this game ... it looks like it at advantage, and another good point follows, but Stephens' defence is impeccable and out of nowhere Venus goes long. She responds with an ace, though ... and then a long forehand .. before, finally, she delivers two good points in a row and the crowd roar their approval.