Amanda Anisimova revealed her true character by declaring she was “so proud” of Naomi Osaka after battling past the Japanese sensation to secure her spot in the US Open final.
Thursday’s semifinal clash proved to be an epic marathon as both players locked horns in a three-hour war that concluded just before 1am local time, with officials issuing a statement over a technical glitch.
The 24-year-old from New Jersey clawed back from a set deficit to clinch a hard-fought 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 victory over the two-time US Open champion Osaka at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The momentum shifted decisively for Anisimova late in the second set, as the world No. 9 discovered her rhythm with powerful groundstrokes and controlled the baseline rallies.
Her stunning triumph establishes a mouth-watering US Open championship match against defending titleholder Aryna Sabalenka, representing the second final of her career and consecutive Grand Slam finals.
After securing victory, the American collapsed to her knees in pure jubilation. When questioned about her remarkable comeback during her post-match interview, she displayed remarkable sportsmanship by showering her rival with compliments.
Anisimova said: “I don’t know. Naomi is playing amazing tennis. She’s back where she belongs. I told her that I’m so proud of her after having a baby and playing at this level. It’s insane.
“She was really giving me a run for the final. I wasn’t sure I’d make it past the finish line. I tried to dig deep and it was a huge fight out there today.”
Osaka had entered the contest as the betting favorite despite holding the 23rd seed, primarily because she had maintained a perfect record from the quarterfinal stage onward.
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Her streak finally came to an end, though the standard the 27-year-old displayed throughout the fortnight indicated she’s approaching a return to peak form, two years following the birth of her daughter, Shai.
“It means the world. I’m trying to process that right now – it’s a dream come true,” Anisimova added. “The hope is to be the champion but I’m in the final now and I’m excited.”
Blocking her path to a maiden Grand Slam triumph stands defending champion Sabalenka, whom she defeated in the semifinals en route to the Wimbledon final.
Anisimova will be hoping for a better outcome than her inaugural final seven weeks ago, where she endured a crushing 6-0, 6-0 loss to Iga Swiatek. The 57-minute encounter represented the first occasion in a century that a women’s singles finalist failed to claim a single game at SW19.
AloJapan.com