New York (AFP) – Amanda Anisimova avenged her Wimbledon thrashing by Iga Swiatek on Wednesday to reach the US Open semi-finals, where she will face four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. Anisimova rebounded from her disastrous double-bagel defeat at the hands of Swiatek at Wimbledon two months ago, beating the second-ranked Pole 6-4, 6-3 in New York.
“I’ve been having the run of my life here,” said Anisimova, the American eighth seed. “The first day I got here I was like ‘OK, let’s try and get through one round…This has been such a dream. To come back from Wimbledon like that is really special to me.”
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Six-time major winner Swiatek entered the US Open as the bookmakers’ favourite after she followed up her maiden Wimbledon title with victory at the Cincinnati Open WTA 1000 event. Swiatek broke in the first game of the match, but Anisimova hit back immediately and snatched the opening set when her rival ballooned a forehand long. Anisimova again had to rally after falling behind early in the second set. She broke back for 2-2 and then moved a game from victory as Swiatek coughed up a costly double fault.
Swiatek saved two match points, but a net cord in Anisimova’s favour sealed the win and a sense of redemption for the 24-year-old. “Today is definitely the most meaningful victory I’ve had in my life,” said Anisimova. Swiatek accepted she didn’t play well enough. “I kind of have to let it go and just focus on the next one,” said Swiatek.
Osaka beat Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) to extend her deepest run at a Grand Slam since returning to tennis after the birth of her daughter in 2023. The Japanese star hit 30 winners in a smooth performance reminiscent of the player who lifted the trophy here in 2018 and 2020. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in this position,” said Osaka, who has gone on to win the tournament every time she has reached the last four of a major.
“You play the best players in the world towards the end of a Slam. We’re all hoping to achieve the same thing. It’s kind of like boxing, but with a tennis ball,” said Osaka, the 23rd seed. However, she has lost both previous matches with Anisimova — at the Australian Open and Roland Garros in 2022.
– Auger-Aliassime into semis –
Felix Auger-Aliassime overcame Alex de Minaur in a four-set battle lasting over four hours to reach his second US Open semi-final. The 25-year-old Canadian is back in the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2021 US Open after beating eighth seed De Minaur 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-5, 7-6 (7/4).
“Some days you won’t feel your best, but I was willing to dig really deep and do everything I can,” said Auger-Aliassime. “It feels amazing. Four years ago, it feels like more. It was a tough couple of years, but it feels even better now to be in the semi-finals.”
Australia’s De Minaur, 26, has now lost all six of his Grand Slam quarter-finals. “Right now I’m looking at this like a wasted opportunity,” De Minaur said.
In the other men’s quarter-final on Wednesday, Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti has the unenviable task of trying to halt compatriot Jannik Sinner’s serene progress toward a successful defence of his US Open title. Musetti, the 10th seed, has lost both of his previous meetings against Sinner, who executed an awe-inspiring drubbing of big-serving Alexander Bublik on Monday to reach the last eight.
Bublik, who described Sinner as “like an AI-generated player”, was obliterated 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 in a near-flawless performance from the reigning champion. Musetti is under no illusions about the scale of the task facing him in the quarter-finals. “He’s the best player in the world, so I guess that’s the biggest challenge that we have in our sport,” Musetti said of Sinner.
© 2024 AFP
