US Open 2015: Semifinal delay could affect Serena Williams' calendar Grand Slam bid

Serena Williams will wait until Saturday to continue her bid for a calendar Grand Slam after the women’s semifinals at the 2015 US Open were cancelled due to heavy rain forecast. The three-time US Open winner overcame her older sister Venus Williams to book a date with Italy’s Roberta Vinci in the last four stage of the final Grand Slam tournament of the year.

Williams will have to take a day off before she continues her fifth Grand Slam win after a heavy rain forecast postponed her match against Vinci. While the rest seems ideal for both players before slugging out each other, the delay means greater implications for the winner of the semifinals women’s category as the victor will have to win on back-to-back days to take home the US Open crown.

Chris Chase of USA Today wrote that several competitors in the semifinal round will benefit from the rest, but a day off could hurt world No. 1 Williams’ chance to become the first player to complete a calendar Grand Slam since 1988. Williams is undefeated in her last 33 Grand Slam matches, each of which have taken place with a day of rest. However, her two losses this year against Belinda Bencic in Canada, and Petra Kvitova in Madrid, were notably came when she played a match the day before.

“This ‘bad news’ for Serena maybe makes her 60 percent to win rather than 67 percent,” Chase wrote. “And it could have just as much effect on the other three women still alive [in the competition].”

Meanwhile, the rainy forecast on Friday created an action-packed US Open semifinal round. The men’s last four round clash between Novak Djokovic and defending champion Marin Cilic, and second Roger Federer against compatriot Stan Wawrinka, will take place after the conclusion of the women’s matches.

World No. 1 Djokovic, who has been dominating the competition at Flushing Meadows, expects Cilic to challenge him in their semifinal showdown.

"I'm sure (Cilic) is not going to start coming to the net after every ball, but I'm sure he's going to try to be aggressive, going to try to take his chances," Djokovic told ATP’s official website.

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