World No 2 Jelena Jankovic advanced to her first Grand Slam final by defeating Elena Dementieva 6-4, 6-4 at the US Open on Saturday, setting up a showdown with two-time winner Serena Williams.

"I have tears in my eyes," said an emotional Jankovic, adding, "I have played in five semi-finals and to be in the final for first time in a Grand Slam is unbelievable. I'm thrilled."

Jankovic had to rally in both sets of the semi-final on a windy Friday afternoon in front of a crowd of 22,892 at the main Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Eight time Grand Slam winner Williams reached her first US Open final in six years, storming past Russian Dinara Safina 6-3, 6-2 in just 88 minutes.

"I am finally back in the finals," Williams said.

The final is scheduled for Saturday night but weather forecasters are predicting rain all day as the remnants of tropical storm Hanna move through the New York area. If that happens, the final will be moved to Sunday night.

Not only will Jankovic and Williams be gunning for the 1.5 million dollars in first place prize money, but the winner will also surpass Serbian Ana Ivanovic as world number one.

Jankovic finished off her semi-final by breaking Dementieva for the fifth time in the set, winning it on the second match point when the Russian hit the final ball long.

"It was windy but I really tried to fight," said Jankovic.

Jankovic said she had to adjust to hitting into a headwind.

Serbia's Jankovic won 63 per cent of her first serve points and made just 22 unforced errors in the one hour, 34 minute match.

It has taken her 20th career Grand Slam tournaments to get to the final.

"I wanted to go out there and from the first point be focussed," Jankovic said.

"I wanted to come out with a game plan and know what I have to do to win and just fight. I knew I could do it and that is what matters,” she added.

Once again, Russian fifth seed Dementieva seemed tormented by her weak second serve. She squandered numerous opportunities, finishing with six double faults and 42 unforced errors.

She posted her final double fault in the last game where she won just one point when the chair umpire refused to let Jankovic challenge a ball the Serbian thought was long.

"I made too many unforced errors and she was trying to put everything in. I tried to go for the winners and couldn't close the point. I couldn't make it," said Dementieva.

Jankovic, a semi-finalist at the French Open in June, has won just one title in 2008. That came at the Italian Open, where she defeated Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova en route to the final.
Williams kept her game plan simple on Friday, converting 5-of-10 break-point opportunities and making just 21 unforced errors.

At one point in the match, Safina had her serve broken four times in a row.

She made 41 unforced errors and converted only 2-of-6 break-point opportunities in the 88-minute match.

"I was behaving like a spoiled girl on the court and I can't do this in a semi-final of a Grand Slam," Safina said.

"She (Williams) behaved like a champion. She was there and fighting and was fighting with me and I was fighting with everything around except her,” Safina added.

Serena rallied from having her serve broken on her opening game of the match to take the first set by winning the final three games.