Serena Williams loses to Victoria Azarenka in US Open semi-final, fans stunned on Twitter

Former World No.1 Victoria Azarenka scored her first major win over 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams on Thursday to advance to the final of the US Open 2020. Azarenka will be up against 2018 champion Naomi Osaka in the US Open final.

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US Open 2020: Victoria Azarenka stuns Serena Williams to advance to the finals

Thursday's loss was indeed a shocking result for the history-chasing Serena Williams, who was in hot pursuit of a seventh US Open crown and a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title (with tennis legend Margaret Court). Having last won a Grand Slam in 2017, the 38-year-old was her dominant self throughout the tournament, beating Tsvetana Pironkova, Sloane Stephens, Maria Sakkari, Margarita Gasparyan and Kristie Ahn on her way to the top four. 

Meanwhile, Azarenka, 31, is enjoying a sort of a career revival, winning 11 straight games on route to her first Grand Slam final appearance since 2013. After claiming her 21st WTA title last week at Western & Southern Open, Azarenka continued her dominant streak, romping through to the top four, dropping just one set in four games. She beat Elise Mertens in the quarter-finals and Aryna Sabalenka in the Round of 16. 

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On Thursday, Azarenka was not only facing one of the all-time greats in women's tennis but also an opponent who held a 10-0 majors record against the Belarusian. Despite facing a setback in the semi-final game, where Williams took the first set by 6-1, Azarenka rallied well to win the next two sets to claim a 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory.

Williams' loss to Azarenka came as a big shock to fans, who unsurprisingly expressed their disappointment on social media:

The two-time Australian Open champion will make her third US Open final appearance - she lost the previous two to Serena Williams in 2012 and 2013. She will be up against 2018 champion and current World No.10, Naomi Osaka in the final on Sunday, September 13. Osaka advanced to the final earlier in the day by beating Jennifer Brady, 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-3. 

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(Image Credits: US Open Tennis Twitter Handle)