NEW YORK – Amanda Anisimova produced a stirring fightback to end Naomi Osaka’s fairytale run, triumphing 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-3 in a gripping semi-final on Thursday to reach her first-ever US Open final. The 24-year-old American will now face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday’s championship match, chasing her maiden Grand Slam crown.
Sabalenka, the defending champion, also endured a rollercoaster evening as she subdued home favorite Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in front of a partisan Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. But it was Anisimova’s resilience, just two months after her painful 6-0, 6-0 loss in the Wimbledon final, that stole the spotlight in New York. “Oh my God. It means the world,” Anisimova said, visibly emotional after her breakthrough. “To reach the US Open final has been a dream forever. The hope now is to take that final step and be the champion.”
Osaka, contesting her first major semi-final since 2021, brought back memories of her two previous New York titles with fearless ball-striking in the opener. The Japanese star edged a tense tiebreak after both players exchanged early breaks, roaring in delight when Anisimova faltered at set point. But the 23rd seed refused to fade. Trading heavy blows with Osaka through another tight set, Anisimova seized control in the second-set tiebreak to force a decider.
From there, she raced to a 4-1 lead with a searing forehand winner and never looked back, clinching victory in two hours and 42 minutes. “It shows how much I’ve worked on my mental game,” she said. “At moments I could have thought, ‘She’s better, I can’t do anything.’ But I pushed myself to believe, even after Wimbledon. I’ve really changed my attitude.”
Despite defeat, Osaka chose optimism over regret. “I don’t feel sad,” she said. “Honestly, it’s inspiring. I feel like I did the best I could. Now I just want to train harder and give it another shot. I can’t be upset with myself.” Sabalenka, meanwhile, weathered an early storm in a rematch of last year’s title clash. After losing the first set, the Belarusian found her rhythm to overpower Pegula, earning a place in her third straight US Open final. “I badly wanted another chance,” Sabalenka said. “I’ve learned tough lessons in finals. This time I need to trust myself and go after my shots.”
The final promises a fascinating duel between Anisimova’s fearless resurgence and Sabalenka’s proven firepower.On Friday, attention turns to the men’s semi-finals, headlined by Carlos Alcaraz’s blockbuster against 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic, followed by defending champion Jannik Sinner against Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime.
