US Open Moves Into Semi-Final Stage

Federer has to fight his way back into a place in the final four of the US Open Tennis Championship against Gael Monfils.

For a moment it looked like it could be over as athletic yet injury prone Frenchman Gael Monfils hobbled a little and sat heavily wincing in pain, massaging his calf and ankle, as Roger Federer looked on from the far end of the court. Thankfully the tall player in the violently luminous top got to his feet and carried on in what was turning into a thrill ride of a quarter final for the packed stadium of fans, and a hard fought match for the players looking to grab the final spot in the semi-finals of the US Open Tennis Championship.

Serena And Djokovic Through To Semi Finals

• Mobile betting on tennis popular
• Superb contest so far set to get better
• Federer fights back to reach final four

As the second set ended it was not going to plan for the number two seed Federer. He was two sets down against an opponent who might have stumbled but was looking commanding, playing hard shots and playing for ever inch of the court. However there's a reason he's seen as one of the greatest players and the fight back was slow in building coming half way through the third set, but little by little Monfils, seeded 20th, was overwhelmed by the Swiss man's vice-like grip on the match.

Federer took the third set and had to work hard to keep up with Monfils in the fourth, but every time the Frenchman drew ahead, Federer closed back up. With it all square in the set at five games apiece there were signs that Monfils was tiring, and as advantage danced between the two of them Federer drew ahead and made it 7-5 and leveled the match. It had been a masterful fight back and he wasn't done yet, stepping forcefully back on court and instantly looking in control of the fifth set.

Monfils looked stretched as Federer called on his skill and experience to bring home a superb turn-around victory winning 4-6 3-6 6-4 7-5 6-2 having saved two match points and keeping him on course to fight for an 18th Grand Slam title. He joins the three semi-finalists who'll be battling it out for a place in the final, a battle that may well make gambling news as anything is possible in this fabulous tournament that has already produced a notable upset in the Men's singles.

Five Sets To Get to Semi Finals

The number three Swiss seed Stanislas Wawrinka walked on court to face young Japanese Kei Nishikori, only ranked tenth, knowing the younger man had fought a tough four hour match last round just two days before. Little did he know his quarter final would be just as hard and just as long if not longer. The five set match saw Nishikori wear down his more experienced opponent finally becoming the first man from Japan to win a place in the final four of a Grand Slam event since Jiro Satoh at Wimbledon way back in 1933.

Likewise Marin Cilic from Croatia over-turned the odds quoted by online sportsbooks in the US by overpowering the number 6 seeded Czech Tomas Berdych in straight sets despite only being ranked 14th himself. Of course this is the fourth time in nine matches Marin has turned the tables, doing so in the third round of Wimbledon this year. Cilic will now face Federer who has announced his ability to fight back in the most fervent way, it'll be no easy game for either of them.

The world's number one all but cruised into the semi-finals getting by an Andy Murray who claims to be returning to his best, but faded fast in the third set and went out to the Serbian Novak Djokovic 7-6 6-7 6-2 6-4 on the Arthur Ashe court where interjections from the crowd were an unwelcome intrusion into the tennis. Murray in the end was no match for Djokovic's backhand and it remains to be seen if the young Kei Nishikori will be any match for Novak as they meet in a semi-final that will be closely watched back in Japan.

Granollers and Lopez of Spain will take on the Bryan Brothers who are, of course, playing at home in the final of the Men's doubles, and the mixed doubles final will see Mirza and Soares take on Spears and Gonzalez in a match that is guaranteed to get the crowd on their feet. The Women's doubles final will have Hingis and Pennetta go up against the Russians Makarova and Vesnina in what should be a remarkably frenetic meeting of playing styles. Of course the Women's singles have been electric this year too.

Serene Serena Slips Into Semi Final

Pennetta will be hoping to have more luck with Hingis on the doubles court than she did against a dominating Serena Williams in her singles quarter final. Serena did take some time to get into her stride but once up and running and powered down hard and put the Italian out in straight sets. She now goes on to meet surprise semi-finalist Ekaterina Makarova who despite only being seeded 17th beat Victoria Azarenka to get through to her first Grand Slam final four. In present form Serena should make light work of the young Russian.

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark literally cruised into the semi-final stages of the tournament easing by a Sara Errani of Italy who won only a single game in the match that saw her go out in straight sets 6-0 6-1, and online gambling sites in the US will probably quote great odds on her being able to beat off unseeded Pen Shuai of China who has reached her first major semi-final by beating the Swiss 17 year old Belinda Bencic. However Peng won't be a push over and it'll be a race to early dominance that will settle their match to see who goes onto the final.

All in all the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship has produced some of the best tennis of the year so far with the quarterfinals pushing that quality even higher. With a mixture of youth and experience in the semi-finals of both the Men's and Women's competitions we're bound to see explosive matches this weekend, hopefully without either the weather or over exuberant crowd members having an effect on the tennis. Whatever happens the final in each of the disciplines is going to be something to watch, and perhaps wager on.

Serena is of course at 1/2 with Wozniackt a distant 11/4, Makarova gets 16/1 and Peng 20/1 in what is probably an accurate reflection of their chances. You can get 8/15 on Djokovic in the Men's competition with Federer a respectable 5/2, Cilic 16/1 and the outside chance Kei Nishikori on 25/1, but whichever wager takes your fancy it's sure to only add a tad of spice to what is already going to be an excellent display of some of the best tennis in the world today in a race to win the US Open Tennis Championship 2014.