When the match began it was Federer who surprisingly looked intimidated under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights as he sprayed errors all around the court but the Swiss great woke from his slumber in time to turn the match resoundingly in his favour.
The German sixth seed, who has not won a title since winning at Flushing Meadows last year, never got into the match against the 2016 WTA newcomer of the year.
Images from Day 4 of the 2021 US Open in New York on Thursday.
Williams had signalled her intention to retire in a Vogue article in early August, saying she was "evolving away from tennis" but never confirming the U.S. Open as her final event.
Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz beat Norway's Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(1), 6-3 in the men's singles final at the US Open on Sunday to win his maiden Grand Slam title and rise to world number one for the first time.
World number one Novak Djokovic and number two Rafa Nadal set up a mouth-watering men's singles final at the US Open with victories in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows on Saturday.
In winning his third New York crown, he joined 14-times Grand Slam winner Pete Sampras in third on the all-time list, trailing only Roger Federer (20) and Rafael Nadal (17).
World number one Serena Williams opened her US Open account with a tidy 6-3, 6-3 win over Ekaterina Makarova on Tuesday, to join her sister Venus in the second round of the year's final Grand Slam.
Still shaking off the rust from a 15-month doping ban and a string of nagging injuries, the 30-year-old Sharapova needed all her skill, determination and two hours and 44 minutes to snatch victory in front of a packed Arthur Ashe stadium.
Photos from the US Open matches played on Monday
A summary of Saturday's action at the US Open.
Images from Day 7 of the 2021 US Open in New York on Sunday.
IMAGES from the US Open matches played on Day 1 at the Flushing Meadows in New York on Monday.
A summary of Wednesday's action at the US Open on Day 3.
A summary of Wednesday's action at the US Open.
Fifth seed Simona Halep narrowly avoided a third-round upset with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 win over Hungary's Timea Babos on Saturday to keep her US Open title hopes alive.
Five-times champion Roger Federer reached his first US Open final in six years as he raced past fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 at Flushing Meadows in the semi-finals on Friday.
After a flawless first set from Mertens the tide turned in Andreescu's direction in the second when she fired a cross-court forehand winner to break the Belgian at love and take a 4-2 lead.
IMAGES from all the action on Day 7 of the US Open played at the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows in New York on Sunday.
Serena Williams will be wary of another semi-final slip-up when she takes to the Arthur Ashe Stadium court on Thursday to face 10th seed Karolina Pliskova for a spot in the US Open final.
However, the 30-year-old Russia belied her own self-doubt with an impressive three-set win over the Romanian to thrust the former world number one back into the spotlight as the toast of the Big Apple.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 to win the US Open title at the Flushing Meadows in New York on Sunday.
The 19-year-old's triumph, which came in her US Open main draw debut and against the undisputed queen of the sport, was the latest step in a meteoric rise for Andreescu and it dominated front pages across the country.
The final will pit power against power when Andreescu takes on her childhood hero Williams, who claimed her first US Open title in 1999 before Andreescu was even born.
Rediff.com presents the early surprises at the year's final Grand Slam
Leylah Fernandez's storybook US Open continued with yet another upset on Thursday, as the Canadian teenager shocked second seed Aryna Sabalenka 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4 to reach her first Grand Slam final.
Masks were required and high-fives banned, with signs reminding those in attendance to maintain proper social distancing.
Overpowers Svitolina to reach second straight US Open final
It was a day of surprises at Flushing Meadows in New York as seeded players were knocked out one after the other on Friday.
Japan's Kei Nishikori overcame second seed Andy Murray for a gruelling 1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 see-saw victory on Wednesday to reach the US Open semi-finals.
The upset left only three of the top 10 seeds still alive in the year's final Grand Slam - number one Serena Williams, who is seeking the fourth women's calendar-year Grand Slam, second seed Simona Halep and fifth seed Petra Kvitova.
The fifth-seeded Ukrainian reached her second straight Grand Slam semi-final after also making the last four at Wimbledon in July.
'I don't know. It's tough to explain my emotion right now. Maybe tomorrow morning I can tell you something, but now it's amazing'
IMAGES from Day 8 of the US Open on Monday
Images from the US Open final played at Flushing Meadows on Sunday
IMAGES from Day 3 of the US Open in New York on Wednesday.
Images from Day 5 of the US Open in New York on Friday
Caroline Wozniacki upset French Open champion Maria Sharapova in a groundstroke marathon to reach the U.S. Open quarter-finals, while Gilles Simon registered the first big surprise in the men's draw.
Images from Day 1 of the US Open in New York, on Monday.
Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki eased into the semi-finals of the US Open on Tuesday with a ruthless 6-0, 6-2 win over wounded Latvian Anastasija Sevastova.
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