The stage is set. Two blockbuster semi-finals, one packed evening at Flushing Meadows. suckers are bracing themselves for high drama as Naomi Osaka locks horns with Amanda Anisimova, while defending champion Aryna Sabalenka renews conflict with Jessica Pegula.
Sabalenka vs Pegula
Aryna Sabalenka has breezed into her fifth straight US Open semi-final without dropping a set. A stroke of fortune came her way too – Marketa Vondrousova’s withdrawal gifted her extra rest. That could prove crucial.
“I’m enjoying being world number one. I’m enjoying this pressure. I’m working really hard to be where I am,” Sabalenka said.
The Belarusian thrives on big stages. She toppled Pegula in last year’s New York final, sealing the third of her Grand Slam titles. History, then, is firmly on her side: seven wins from nine against the American.
Yet Pegula refuses to dwell on the past. “It would be cool to be able to get revenge, obviously,” she admitted. “I didn’t even remember it being that close, which was kind of funny, because I think after the final I was just so, like, wow, we should be in a third set right now.”
This will be Pegula’s toughest test of the tournament – her first meeting with a seeded rival in 2025.
Osaka vs Anisimova
The other semi-final feels different. More emotional. Two comeback stories, colliding under the New York lights.
Look who is back.
Naomi Osaka has returned the US Open semifinals. pic.twitter.com/qujVkuSX1X
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 4, 2025
Amanda Anisimova was formerly hailed as the coming great American stopgap. But pressure, anticipation, and internal health struggles forced her to step down in 2023.
Dropping outside the top 400, her career looked in freefall. Fast forward to now a Wimbledon finalist, a top- 10 player, and fresh from defeating world number two Iga Swiatek.
“I feel like she’s really found her groove. She’s put in a lot of work this past year. I’ve observed it, and I’ve seen it,” Anisimova said of her opponent.
And then there’s Naomi Osaka. The Japanese star’s return to form has been one of the stories of the season. After giving birth to her daughter, Osaka has rediscovered the rhythm that once made her tennis’ dominant force.
Her major record speaks volumes – four Grand Slam titles, including two at Flushing Meadows. Each time she has gone beyond the quarters, she has lifted the trophy.
That aura still lingers, especially after she stunned Muchova in a dramatic quarter-final, a reminder of the grit and resilience that once made her untouchable.
“I think no one wants to see her name next to theirs,” Osaka said of Anisimova. But the same could be said of Osaka herself.
For Sabalenka, it’s about cementing dominance. For Pegula, redemption. For Anisimova, a chance to prove resilience. For Naomi Osaka, it’s about re-writing her comeback with silverware.
Flushing Meadows loves its drama. On Thursday night, it’s guaranteed.
