<p> Karolina Pliskova shattered Serena Williams' bid for a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title on Thursday, her 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) win setting-up a US Open final against new World No 1 Angelique Kerber.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The win for Czech 10th seed Pliskova meant the 34-year-old American was deposed as the world's top player, losing her chance to stay at the peak for a record 187 weeks.<br /><br />In Saturday's championship match, Pliskova will tackle second seed Kerber who marked her coronation as the new world number one with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over two-time runner-up Caroline Wozniacki.<br /><br />It will be Pliskova's first appearance in a Grand Slam final while Australian Open champion Kerber will be in her third final of the year having finished runner-up to Williams at Wimbledon. Williams, who also lost in the semifinals last year which ended her bid to claim a rare calendar Slam, said she had been suffering from a knee injury in the run-up to the semifinal.<br /><br />Pliskova, the first Czech woman in the US Open final since Helena Sukova in 1993, said she had not noticed that her opponent was carrying an injury.<br /><br />The 24-year-old preferred to focus on finally making a Slam championship match after never making it past the third round of a major in 17 prior attempts.<br /><br />"I knew I had the chance to beat anyone if I played my game. I am excited to be in the final and to beat Serena as she is such a great champion," said the 6ft 1in (1.86m) Czech who had also beaten Venus Williams in the fourth round.<br /><br />"Even when she was down a set and break she was still fighting. I had to fight hard to win."<br /><br />Despite the injury, Williams admitted Pliskova earned her victory."Karolina played great today. I think if she had played any less then maybe I would have had a chance," said Williams.<br /><br />Kerber, the 28-year-old left-hander, is the first German woman to reach the final since Steffi Graf in 1996. Graf is also the only other German woman to achieve the top ranking.<br /><br />The German leads Pliskova 4-3 in their head to heads, but the Czech won their most recent meeting in the Cincinnati final last month.<br />Mixed doubles final: Laura Siegemund/Mate Pavic bt 7-CoCo Vandeweghe/Rajeev Ram 6-4, 6-4. </p>
<p> Karolina Pliskova shattered Serena Williams' bid for a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title on Thursday, her 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) win setting-up a US Open final against new World No 1 Angelique Kerber.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The win for Czech 10th seed Pliskova meant the 34-year-old American was deposed as the world's top player, losing her chance to stay at the peak for a record 187 weeks.<br /><br />In Saturday's championship match, Pliskova will tackle second seed Kerber who marked her coronation as the new world number one with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over two-time runner-up Caroline Wozniacki.<br /><br />It will be Pliskova's first appearance in a Grand Slam final while Australian Open champion Kerber will be in her third final of the year having finished runner-up to Williams at Wimbledon. Williams, who also lost in the semifinals last year which ended her bid to claim a rare calendar Slam, said she had been suffering from a knee injury in the run-up to the semifinal.<br /><br />Pliskova, the first Czech woman in the US Open final since Helena Sukova in 1993, said she had not noticed that her opponent was carrying an injury.<br /><br />The 24-year-old preferred to focus on finally making a Slam championship match after never making it past the third round of a major in 17 prior attempts.<br /><br />"I knew I had the chance to beat anyone if I played my game. I am excited to be in the final and to beat Serena as she is such a great champion," said the 6ft 1in (1.86m) Czech who had also beaten Venus Williams in the fourth round.<br /><br />"Even when she was down a set and break she was still fighting. I had to fight hard to win."<br /><br />Despite the injury, Williams admitted Pliskova earned her victory."Karolina played great today. I think if she had played any less then maybe I would have had a chance," said Williams.<br /><br />Kerber, the 28-year-old left-hander, is the first German woman to reach the final since Steffi Graf in 1996. Graf is also the only other German woman to achieve the top ranking.<br /><br />The German leads Pliskova 4-3 in their head to heads, but the Czech won their most recent meeting in the Cincinnati final last month.<br />Mixed doubles final: Laura Siegemund/Mate Pavic bt 7-CoCo Vandeweghe/Rajeev Ram 6-4, 6-4. </p>