Ben Solomon for The New York Times
In the United States Open women's singles semifinals on Thursday night, Serena Williams is trying to reach her fourth Grand Slam final in 14 months.
How to watch: ESPN, 7 p.m.
Serena Williams vs. Elina Svitolina
Among Serena Williams’s best skills as she asserted herself as the best player of her generation was her closing ability. In her first 28 Grand Slam semifinal appearances, Williams went on to win the title 21 times, a 75 percent conversion rate.
Yet starting with her loss to Roberta Vinci in the 2015 U.