Serena Williams set up a US Open final clash against Samantha Stosur with a dominant 6-2 6-4 victory over top seed Caroline Wozniacki under the lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The players did not take to the court until 10pm following the lengthy men's semi-finals and Williams, who hit 11 aces and 34 winners in total, was not in a mood to hang around.
It was a match that pitted the world number one against the player most people consider to be the best in the world, and the size of Wozniacki's task soon became clear.
Williams served three aces in her first two service games alone, and then set about breaking the Wozniacki serve, which she managed on her fourth opportunity.
The Dane was relying on her athleticism and powers of defence but Williams simply had too much power and, after treatment to her problematic right foot, she broke Wozniacki again to move 5-1 ahead.
Winners
The 21-year-old managed the not inconsiderable feat of breaking the Williams serve but the set was over moments later, with a tally of zero winners for Wozniacki and 18 for her opponent rather telling the story.
Williams got another flying start to the second set with an early break but Wozniacki was at least trying to play a bit closer to the baseline now and she hung onto her serve to force the American to serve it out at 5-3.
And rather surprisingly she could not do it, handing Wozniacki a break with a big double fault.
That still left the world number one having to hold to level, though, and Williams was not about to let another opportunity slip, sealing victory on her first match point with a return that was too hot for Wozniacki.
