It could be an all teenage final on Saturday night between Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernadez in the US Open women's singles. But for that to happen they have to see off a couple of twentysomethings on Thursday night. Radacanu, 18, must beat the 17th seed Maria Sakkari and 19-year-old Fernandez needs to outmuscle the second seed Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus.
On paper Fernandez has the tougher assignment against the 23-year-old who reached the semi-final at Wimbledon in July.
But the Canadian has already eliminated the third seed and defending champion Naomi Osaka, the 16th seed Angelique Kerber - a former champion - and the fifth seed Elina Svitolina on her way to the last four.
"There's nothing to lose for her," said Sabalenka of the semi-final. "She's a great player. She's fighting for every point and the crowd is shouting for her. It will be an interesting match."
Raducanu has not overcome such notable obstacles. However teh Briton has created history by becoming the firt player to emerge from the three matches of the qualifying tournament to reach the last four.
And she has displayed impressive mettle in the surge through the main draw by vanquishing experienced operators such as Zhang Shuai and Shelby Rogers before dispatching the 11th seed Belinda Bencic in straight sets in the last eight.
Time
Sakkari, at 26,could, by comparison, be deemed another creaky campaigner. "I don't feel old," said the Greek who reached the semi-final at the French Open in June.
"Far from it. In fact, I'm in the best moment of my career. Every tennis player has a different time to break through and this is probably my time at 26.
"I wasn't very good in juniors, I wasn't a star when I was 18 or 19. I had to work and sacrifice a lot of aspects of my life. But now it's paying off and I'm happy to get these results at my age."
All four players will feature in the semis in New York for the first time ensuring a new name on the women's trophy on Saturday.
Quest
In the men's semi-finals on Friday, top seed Novak Djokovic will take on the fourth seed Alex Zverev - who lost last year's final to Dominic Thiem - and the second seed Daniil Medvedev will play the 12th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.
While the other men in the semis ponder a first crown at a Grand Slam tournament, 34-year-old Djokovic seeks a record 21st triumph at the competitions which take place in Melbourne, Paris, London and New York.
The Serb is also bidding to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win at all four venues in the same calendar year.
"Of course I'm aware of the history, of course it gives me motivation," Djokovic said after his quarter-final victory over Matteo Berrettini.
"But if I start to think about it too much, it burdens me mentally."
Victory on Sunday would set Djokovic apart from his fabled rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal who both boast 20 Grand Slam titles.
It would also burden his back account to the tune of 2.5 million dollars.
