Amanda Anisimova continued her breakout season with another statement victory, edging past Naomi Osaka to book her place in the US Open final.
Just two months after reaching her first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon, the American rallied from a set down to defeat the four-time major champion 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-3 in a thrilling contest that stretched just under three hours inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Anisimova’s win was historic, making her the first player to ever beat Osaka in a major semifinal. The match saw both players trade breaks relentlessly through the opening two sets before Anisimova steadied herself in the decisive stages. Osaka dominated the first-set tiebreak, but the 27-year-old American hit back in the second, racing through her own breaker to level the match, as per WTA.
In the deciding set, Anisimova secured a crucial break at 3-1 and held her nerve, saving two break points while serving for the match before closing it out on her third opportunity. She finished with 50 winners, handing Osaka just her third Grand Slam hard-court defeat after winning the opening set.
The result sets up a showdown with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, a rematch of their Wimbledon semifinal, which Anisimova won. With her second straight Slam final, she also ensures that an American woman has featured in every major final this season — the first time that has happened since 2002. Meanwhile, top seed and defending US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka beat fourth seed Jessica Pegula in a thrilling three-set semifinal, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, in Arthur Ashe Stadium to sail into the final.
This was Sabalenka’s fifth consecutive US Open semifinal. The last player to reach five straight semis in New York was American Serena Williams (2011-16).
It will be Sabalenka’s seventh Grand Slam final — her fourth in the past five majors and her third in a row in New York — leaving her one win from successfully defending her US Open title.
Sabalenka will attempt to become the first player to win consecutive US Open women’s singles titles since Serena Williams took three straight between 2012 and 2014.
Yuki Bhambri’s dream run ends with semifinal loss
India’s Yuki Bhambri and his partner Michael Venus of New Zealand lost to British duo Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski in the US Open men’s doubles semifinal, bringing their dream run to an end.
Bhambri and Venus, who only just teamed up this summer after success with others, suffered 7-6(7-2), 6-7(5-8), 4-6 loss in the thrilling semifinal against the British duo.
Bhambri, who playing her maiden Grand Slam semifinal, was the last remaining Indian challenge at this year’s US Open. Anirudh Chandrasekar and Vijay Sundar Prashanth’s run came to an end with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat to Brazil’s Fernando Romboli and Australia’s John-Patrick Smith.
Earlier, Indian veteran Rohan Bopanna and his partner Romain Arneodo of Monaco crashed out in the opening round on Saturday. Arjun Kadhe and his partner, Diego Hidalgo of Ecuador, also made a first-round exit.