Sloane Stephens, the unseeded American who four and a half weeks ago was ranked 934th on the women’s tour, barged her way into the United States Open final with an impressive demonstration of nerve and desire to oust Venus Williams, 6-1, 0-6, 7-5, in a semifinal Thursday in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Stephens, 24, rebounded from a demoralizing second set to upset the ninth-seeded Williams by breaking her serve at 5-5 and then serving out the match with barely a trace of anxiety in the biggest moment of her career against one of her idols.