Angelique Kerber into semi finals of the us open 2016

Angelique Kerber used patience and then power to beat Roberta Vinci and book her place in the semifinals.

Kerber toppled seventh-seeded Vinci, 7-5, 6-0, on Day 9 of the US Open to advance to the final four in Flushing Meadows for the first time in five years.

The opening set was as close as could be, but the second set quickly turned into a blowout as the German prevailed in a showdown of contrasting tactics.

Stylistically polar opposites, Vinci sliced virtually every ball hit to her backhand wing while Kerber relied on her tough lefty serve and flat ground strokes to outlast then outhit the Italian, who utilized a similar game plan to upset Serena Williams in the semifinals 12 months ago.

Kerber was broken three times in the first set, each time responding by playing some of her best tennis to attack the Vinci serve. All three times Kerber dropped serve, she responded with a break back of her own, as Vinci was unable to find her rhythm and Kerber punished her second serve.

The German dictated the majority of the points, playing closer to the baseline and creating sharp angles with her cross-court backhand.

Kerber broke for the fourth time in six service games when Vinci was serving to stay in the set, a double fault handing Kerber the lead and the momentum after 55 minutes.

But as tight as the opening set was, the 24-minutes second set was exactly the reverse.

Vinci won the first three points to create three break points, but Kerber responded by winning 21 of the next 23 points, including 12 straight, to put the result beyond doubt. On her second match point, Vinci sliced a backhand into the net to seal the victory.