Amanda Anisimova ended Naomi Osaka’s US Open resurgence in a late-night battle to reach a second successive grand slam final.
Osaka had been chasing a first major title since the Australian Open back in 2021, but she faded in the third set of a 6-7 (4) 7-6 (3) 6-3 defeat, suffering her first ever loss beyond the fourth round of a grand slam.
Instead it is Anisimova whose story of resilience has carried her all the way to the showpiece in New York, where she will take on world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
It is eight weeks since the American was humiliated in her first Wimbledon final, losing 6-0 6-0 to Iga Swiatek, but she has shrugged off the setback impressively and will now try to beat Sabalenka again in what will be a repeat of the semi-final at SW19.
With the clock ticking towards 1am, Anisimova said of Osaka: “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.
“I tried to enjoy the moment. Sometimes I was like, ‘how are we making these shots’? This has been a dream of mine forever to be in a US Open final and obviously the hope is to be the champion. It’s really special.”
Anisimova and Osaka are two of the purest ball-strikers in the game and it was a true power battle that played out under the roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Osaka made the better start, winning 11 of the first 13 points as Anisimova struggled to settle into the occasion, but she found her range in time to break her opponent when she served for the opening set.
In echoes of Wimbledon, there was a malfunction of the electronic line calling system at a crucial moment, an out call appearing to come before the ball had landed with Osaka at set point in the tie-break.
But a replay showed the Japanese star’s shot had indeed landed out and she put the incident behind her to take her next opportunity, screaming in celebration.
Anisimova responded well in the second set but she could not pull away from Osaka, who at 6-5 was one game away from a place in the final.
Anisimova talked ahead of the contest about the need to play without fear, and she was as good as her word.
Some remarkable ball-striking earned her the tie-break and, with Osaka appearing to be in physical discomfort, Anisimova moved to the brink of victory.
At the finish line, the American wobbled, missing two match points, and Osaka had two chances to fight back, but Anisimova committed to full-blooded backhands and got her reward.
In the first semi-final, Sabalenka fought back to defeat Jessica Pegula in a pulsating rematch of last year’s final.
Sabalenka had won 12 months ago in two tight sets but this time she had to come from a set down to claim a 4-6 6-3 6-4 win.
The dramatic finale saw Sabalenka face a succession of high pressure points, saving break points at 3-2 and 4-3 with some of her best tennis of the match.
After the grand slam matches she has lost this season, it was no surprise that completing the task was not straightforward, but this time Sabalenka refused to be beaten.
A first match point came and went with a bounce smash into the net after desperate defence from Pegula, Sabalenka giving the ball a menacing glare, while on the second she netted a volley.
But at the third time of asking she found the right answer, powering a forehand into the corner and roaring with delight and relief into the New York night.
“I was just praying inside and hoping for the best,” she said. “I think I really played great tennis. I think I handled that pressure really well. I’m super proud of this win.
“I badly wanted to give myself another opportunity, another final, and I want to prove to myself that I learned those tough lessons and I can do better in the finals.”
Pegula played a brilliant four games to turn around the opening set but in the end it was Sabalenka’s extra power that wrestled the match away from her.
The American had arrived in New York low on confidence after a difficult summer and, sucking on a lollipop, she was able to reflect on a positive run.
“I thought it was really high level,” said Pegula. “I don’t know how I didn’t break back in the third. She came up with some ridiculous shots on break point. I didn’t feel like I did much wrong.”
Pegula later posted a picture on the social media site X of herself holding a cup of the tournament’s famous Honey Deuce cocktail accompanied by the message: “When you lost 4 points on serve in the 3rd but you lost the match.”
