The two women's semifinal matches at the 2012 U.S. Open were played on Friday afternoon. One match was close throughout and needed three sets to be determined, while the other was over in a little more than an hour.
No. 1 Victoria Azarenka battled No. 3 Maria Sharapova in the first match and won in three sets. She lost the first set 3-6, but rallied nicely to come back and win the final two, 6-2 and 6-4.
The second match set up No. 4 Serena Williams and No. 10 Sara Errani. Williams advanced in 64 minutes, winning the first set 6-1 and the second 6-2.
Azarenka and Williams will now have a night to rest before playing the women's final on Saturday night. They are scheduled to begin play at 7:00 p.m. ET at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The men's doubles final was also played on Friday. Bob and Mike Bryan, the No. 2 ranked pair in the world, defeated Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek in two sets, 6-3 and 6-4.
For more updates on the 2012 U.S. Open, check out SB Nation's tennis hub. Live scores can be viewed at the event's website.