NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 03: Amanda Anisimova of the United States returns to Iga Swiatek of Poland during the Women’s Quarterfinal match on Day Eleven of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 3, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
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After getting double-bageled by Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final, and crying on Centre Court, Amanda Anisimova returned to the locker room and had a moment to herself.
“When I got back to the locker room, I had that switch in my mind of, you know what, this is probably gonna make you stronger in the end, to not really put myself down after today,” she said. “Just try and focus on how I can come out stronger after this. I think it’s honestly a fork in the road. It’s whatever direction you want to go in. I’m gonna choose the path of working towards my goals and to try and keep improving and hopefully put myself in more positions and opportunities like today. I think that’s gonna help me reach my goals.”
Less than two months after that epic loss, No. 8 Anisimova reached one of her goals by getting revenge on No. 2 Swiatek, 6-4, 6-3, to reach the US Open semifinals. Anisimova came back from breaks down in both sets.
Anisimova will play either No. 11 Karolína Muchová or No. 23 Naomi Osaka in the semifinals on Thursday night. The American is 1-0 vs. Muchova and 2-0 against Osaka.
No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will face No. 4 Jessica Pegula in the first semifinal, so there remains the possibility of an all-American final on Saturday afternoon.
The winner will take home a record $5 million.
“Playing here is so friggin’ special and I’ve been having the run of my life here,” the 23-year-old Anisimova said on court. “The first day I got here, I was like, let’s try and get through one round. But this has been such a dream.
“To come back from Wimbledon like that, is really special to me. I feel like I worked so hard so try to turn around from that. And today proved everything for me. I can do it, so this is really special.”
She is bidding to become the third different American woman this year to win a Slam after Madison Keys captured the Australian Open and Coco Gauff won Roland Garros.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 03: Iga Swiatek of Poland returns to Amanda Anisimova of the United States during the Women’s Quarterfinal match on Day Eleven of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 3, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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Anisimova took the first set when Swiatek sailed a forehand long while serving at 4-5.
In the second set, Anisimova benefited from a net cord to hold for 4-3. She then held her hand up to apologize – a move that Jelena Ostapenko would have appreciated.
Swiatek double-faulted to give Anisimova a 5-3 lead and the American served for the match.
On her third match point, she won on a net cord when Swiatek couldn’t track down the ball. The players embraced at the net.
Anisimova won the US Open Juniors at 15, defeating Gauff in the final, but was overwhelmed by the daily pressures associated with high-level tennis.
But she has now reached the Wimbledon final and the US Open semis after a tumultuous few years in which her father passed away, she battled Covid and various injuries and then took a mental health break from the sport in 2023. A year ago, she lost in Wimbledon qualifying.
Now she’s one match from the US Open final and two from the title.
“Anisimova is playing the style that can win the US Open,” ESPN’s Mary Joe Fernandez said on air. “She can beat any of the players left because she’s got the weapons.”
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzagoria/2025/09/03/american-amanda-anisimova-exacts-revenge-for-embarrassing-loss-to-reach-us-open-semifinals/
