World number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will face Amanda Anisimova in the US Open final after the American stunned Naomi Osaka in a dramatic late-night semifinal on Thursday.
Sabalenka battled past Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a rematch of last year’s final to keep her title defense alive. The 27-year-old Belarusian is now into her third straight US Open final, aiming to become the first player since Serena Williams in 2014 to retain the crown in New York.
“It was a really tough match — she (Pegula) played incredible tennis as always and I had to work really hard to get this win,” Sabalenka said after her victory. “Just super happy to be back in the final and hopefully I can go all the way again.”
Despite reaching four of the last five Grand Slam finals, Sabalenka has not added to her tally of three major titles since winning last year’s US Open. She was runner-up at both the Australian Open and Roland Garros this season.
“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,” she added.
Sabalenka endured a shaky start, losing the first set after a series of errors allowed Pegula to take control. However, she regrouped to dominate the second set and sealed the decider with a powerful forehand winner on her third match point, much to her relief. Pegula acknowledged the battle, saying, “It was too good from her today at some points.”
Her opponent in Saturday’s final will be eighth seed Amanda Anisimova, who staged a comeback to eliminate Osaka 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 in a marathon contest that stretched beyond midnight. The 22-year-old will be appearing in her second consecutive Grand Slam final, following her Wimbledon breakthrough earlier this year.
“I wasn’t sure I would make it past the finish line. I tried to dig deep. It was a huge fight out there,” Anisimova said. “It means the world. I’m trying to process that right now, it’s a dream come true. The hope is to be the champion but I’m in the final now and I’m excited.”
Osaka, seeded 23rd, was enjoying her strongest major run since lifting her second Australian Open title in 2021. She grabbed the opening set in a tie-break, continuing her impressive record of winning nearly every match after doing so. But the four-time Grand Slam champion faltered in the second and third sets, struggling with her second serve as Anisimova took control.
The American sealed the match on her third match point, holding off a late Osaka surge to book her place in the final.
What You Should Know
Aryna Sabalenka is bidding to become the first woman in a decade to defend the US Open title, while Amanda Anisimova has reached back-to-back Grand Slam finals at just 22 years old.
Their showdown not only highlights a generational shift in women’s tennis but also sets up a rematch of their Wimbledon clash earlier this summer, where Anisimova came out on top.
