(REUTERS) - Second seed Angelique Kerber was first through to the semi-finals of the US Open on Tuesday bringing Roberta Vinci's Flushing Meadows dream run to an end with a clinical 7-5, 6-0 win.

The match had looked an intriguing one between Kerber, who is eyeing Serena Williams' world No. 1 ranking, and the 33-year-old Italian Vinci, who discovered a fountain of youth at Flushing Meadows last year where she reached the finals.

But a foot fault on set point in the opening set appeared to trip up Vinci and sent her tumbling out of the year's final Grand Slam.

Three times Vinci would break Kerber in the opening set and three times she would allow the German to immediately break back, including once while serving at 5-4 for the set.

But it would be Kerber claiming the decisive break to win the set when Vinci was called for a foot fault on her second serve before sarcastically applauding the line judge as she walked off the court.

The Italian never recovered and Kerber blasted through the second set in 24 minutes to clinch her semi-final spot where she will face Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki.

In the men's quarters, Gael Monfils overwhelmed worn out, fellow-Frenchman Lucas Pouille 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 to become the first man into the semi-finals of the US Open.