Hot news: Four players will fight for US Open title and World's #1

Women’s semi-finals day will have added spice to it at the U.S. Open on Friday with the carrot of the number one ranking looming large over the four remaining protagonists.

American Serena Williams, Russians Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva and Serbian Jelena Jankovic can all replace another Serbian, Ana Ivanovic, at the top of the rankings by winning the title in New York.

Of more immediate concern to all of them will be earning a place in the final, with Williams chasing her ninth grand slam title and the other three closing on their first.

Jankovic, Dementieva and Williams will become #1 if they win the title. Jankovic would be also #1 if she reaches the final and Safina defeats Williams in the semifinals. Finally, Safina needs to win the title and that Jankovic loses to Dementieva in the other semifinal.