New York, Sep 5 (AP) - In a thrilling U.S. Open semifinal match that stretched into the wee hours of Friday morning, Amanda Anisimova outlasted four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka with a scoreline of 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-3.
The No. 8 seed, Anisimova, a 24-year-old who was born in New Jersey and raised in Florida, delivered a spectacular performance to reach her second consecutive major final. The match lasted nearly 3 hours, concluding at almost 1 a.m.
Anisimova, who required three match points to secure her victory, expressed her relief and joy, stating, "I wasn't sure I would make it past the finish line and I tried to dig deep. It was a huge fight out there today." When she triumphed, Anisimova celebrated fervently, exclaiming, "Let's go!" and savoring the moment on court.
On Saturday, Anisimova will face the defending champion and current No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka, for the coveted title. Sabalenka advanced by defeating Jessica Pegula in three sets and has three major trophies, all on hard court surfaces.
This marks the fifth consecutive women's final at a Slam featuring an American competitor. Anisimova experienced a Grand Slam breakthrough at Wimbledon in July, surprising Sabalenka in the semifinals—a victory that bolstered the American's lead to 6-3 in head-to-head encounters—before falling to Iga Swiatek in the final, 6-0, 6-0. She rebounded swiftly, taking down Swiatek in the U.S. Open quarterfinals in straight sets.
Anisimova's latest triumph over Osaka is particularly noteworthy, as it marks the first time Osaka, a former world No. 1, who was seeded 23rd in New York, has been defeated this late in a Grand Slam. Prior to this loss, Osaka maintained a perfect 14-0 record in major quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals, having secured two each at the U.S. Open and Australian Open.
Osaka, reflecting on the match, said, "I mean, honestly I don't feel sad. It's really weird. Well, it's not weird, because I just feel like I did the best that I could." She further noted, "It's kind of inspiring for me because it makes me just want to train and try to get better. Hopefully, I'll give it my very best shot again."
Anisimova first reached the final four at a major at 17, during the 2019 French Open. However, she took a break in 2023 due to struggles with mental health and burnout. She's made a spectacular return, having been ranked 50th this time last year, proving she’s better than ever.
When asked about her victory against Osaka, Anisimova exclaimed, "Oh, my God. I don't know. I mean, Naomi is playing amazing tennis. She's back where she belongs." Anisimova succeeded by shaking off early setbacks, notably forgetting about losing the opening set and overcoming a 6-5 deficit in the second.
Throughout the match, Anisimova unleashed powerful groundstrokes, hitting deep and accurately, which is often Osaka’s forte. Despite Osaka's aggressive play, including 15 aces and massive serves reaching speeds of 119 mph, Anisimova managed a total of 50 winners, outpacing Osaka's 32.
Osaka reflected on Anisimova’s unpredictable style, saying, "I wouldn't say it's a bigger challenge than I expected, because I kind of knew that she's that type of player. It was just kind of funny at times because there is no pattern to what she's doing." Despite some on-court frustrations, Osaka acknowledged Anisimova as a formidable opponent.
With both players frequently interacting with their coaches between points, the high-energy match saw Osaka show her frustration by striking a ball in anger and tossing her racket. But on this day, Anisimova's shot-making won out. "Sometimes, I was like, 'How are we making these shots?'" Anisimova noted post-match. It's clear they both made incredible shots, but Anisimova made more of them when it counted. (AP)
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