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.
Aryna Sabalenka will look to repeat.
Amanda Anisimova will look to win her home Grand Slam.
Here we go. pic.twitter.com/h6UHPrZ7gJ
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 5, 2025
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
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