US Open 2016: Serena Williams’ three-year reign as world No1 ends with shock semi-final loss to Karolina Pliskova

SERENA WILLIAMS’ three-year reign as women’s tennis world No1 came to an end as she suffered a shock loss to Karolina Pliskova.

Williams, 34, double faulted on match point to hand the Czech tenth seed a  6-2 7-6 (7-5) victory in their US Open semi-final clash.

The result guarantees that Angelique Kerber, who beat Caroline Wozniacki in the other semi-final, will overtake 22-time Grand Slam champion at the top of the rankings next week.

It was the same stage that Williams lost at a year ago, when Roberta Vinci ended the American’s dreams of completing a historic calendar Grand Slam.

Williams had topped the rankings for 186 weeks – a joint WTA record with legend Steffi Graf.

The pair also remain tied on Slam titles after Williams won this year’s Wimbledon crown.

Pliskova went a break up early in the second set but lost it when she was broken for the first time in the match in game six.

The 24-year-old held serve to stay in the set at 4-5 and 5-6, before holding her nerve in the tie-break to claim the biggest win of her career by far.

Pliskova, who had never made it past the third round of a  Slam in 17 attempts, said: “I don’t believe it.

“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.

“Even when she was down a set and break she was still fighting. I had to fight hard to win.”

Angelique Kerber hailed an “incredible” day after she celebrated her new number one ranking by beating Caroline Wozniacki to reach the US Open final.

Serena Williams’ shock defeat less than 40 minutes before Kerber’s match in Arthur Ashe Stadium sealed the German’s place as world number one and she underlined her credentials against Wozniacki, winning 6-4 6-3.

Kerber will now take on Williams’ conqueror, Karolina Pliskova, in Saturday’s showpiece match as she closes in on a second grand slam title.