Table of Contents
- On Friday night, Amanda Anisimova secured a hard-fought win over Naomi Osaka in the semi-final of the US Open
- The match between Anisimova and Osaka was a topsy-turvy battle involving two women who wanted to prove they did not come this far for nothing
On Friday night, Amanda Anisimova secured a hard-fought win over Naomi Osaka in the semi-final of the US Open. Anisimova, 23, beat Osaka 6-7 (4) 7-6 (3) 6-3 to reach back-to-back Grand Slam finals, having made it to the final of Wimbledon earlier this summer where she lost to world number two Iga Swiatek.
The American, who has so far had an amazing run on home soil, avenged her Wimbledon final defeat by knocking out Swiatek in the quarterfinals of the US Open. She beat the Polish star 6-4 6-3 to set up an enticing semifinal tie against Osaka, who is slowly getting back on her feet after taking a break from tennis to give birth to her daughter.
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The match between Anisimova and Osaka was a topsy-turvy battle involving two women who wanted to prove they did not come this far for nothing. The American eighth seed had a tough start and ended up losing the first set. However, she showed her mental strength and serving prowess in the second set, clinching it. With the momentum on her side, she continued to play brilliant tennis in the decider and eventually won the tie after two hours, 56 minutes.
Amanda Anisimova will face world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the US Open on Saturday. Photo/ BBC.
Anisimova fell to her knees after the big win with the crowd chanting her name. The 24-year-old will now be eyeing the US Open women’s title when she faces world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the final on Saturday. Sabalenka booked her spot in the final after securing a 4-6 6-3 6-4 comeback win over world number four Jessica Pegula.
Both Anisimova and Osaka have had amazing runs in tennis this year. Anisimova found herself out of the world’s top 400 after taking a seven-month break from tennis in May 2023 due to mental health. However, she is now ranked in the top 10 and clinched her biggest career title in Qatar earlier this year.
The American came roaring at Wimbledon and made it to the final after recording wins against top players. However, she suffered a humiliating 6-0 6-0 defeat in the final against Swiatek, becoming the first woman to lose with such a margin at the All England Club in 114 years.
The humbling defeat didn’t derail her as she came stronger at Flushing Meadows and has now secured her spot in the highly anticipated women’s final which will take place on Saturday.
Naomi Osaka, on the other hand, was out of the top 800 when she returned from her maternity leave in January 2024. The 27-year-old initially struggled to remain consistent but has found her good form on hard court this year. Some can argue that her tennis has been better since parting ways with former coach Patrick Mouratoglou in July and hiring Tomasz Wiktorowski, who guided Swiatek to four Grand Slam wins in three years.
Naomi Osaka has been knocked out of the US Open in the semifinals. Photo/ BBC.
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Osaka came to the United States with the aim of winning her second US Open title and played great tennis, showcasing the potential of returning to her best. Even though the Japanese failed to reach the final, she won the hearts of many, including her opponent at semifinal Amanda Anisimova.
“She’s back where she belongs. I told her I’m so proud of her after having the baby. She was really giving me a run for the final. I wasn’t sure I would make it past the finish line. I just tried to stay positive. There was a lot of nerves at the beginning. This tournament means so much to me.” Anisimova said after defeating Osaka, according to Sky Sports.
