US Open Women’s Semi-Finals Previews

She will be facing Jessica Pegula, who has also been exceptional throughout the tournament. Their match promises to be an exciting contest. Meanwhile, former champion Naomi Osaka is making a strong comeback, having defeated one of the pre-tournament favorites, Coco Gauff.

She will compete against Amanda Anisimova for a place in the final. Here are the previews for the semi-finals.

Aryna Sabalenka vs. Jessica Pegula

In preparation for the US Open, Aryna Sabalenka suffered a surprising defeat in the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Open against Elena Rybakina. This loss raised questions about whether she would be able to bounce back in time for the US Open. However, Sabalenka has answered those doubts with exceptional form, as she has yet to drop a set in the tournament.

The 27-year-old Belarusian star has defeated players like Leylah Fernandez, Cristina Busca, Polina Kudermetova, and Rebeka Masarova with relative ease. In her quarter-final match, she won the first set 6-1 against former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova before Vondrousova withdrew due to injury.

Now, Sabalenka faces Jessica Pegula in a key showdown for a spot in the final. Last year, the two met in the US Open final, where Sabalenka triumphed with a score of 7-5, 7-5 to claim her first US Open title. This year, she is aiming for her third Grand Slam final, having lost the Australian Open final to Madison Keys in a thrilling three-set match and the French Open final to Coco Gauff. With the outstanding form she has displayed, she is highly motivated to defend her title in New York.

However, defeating Pegula won’t be an easy task, as she has also been in excellent form, having not dropped a set in her five matches during the tournament. Pegula is showing that her run to the final last year was no fluke. In their head-to-head record, Sabalenka leads 7-2 and has won the last three encounters. The last time Pegula managed to win against Sabalenka was at the 2023 WTA Finals in Mexico.

Naomi Osaka vs. Amanda Anisimova

Naomi Osaka is beginning to rediscover her old form. After a challenging few years marked by mental health struggles and the joys of motherhood with her daughter, Shai, Osaka seems to have found a way to enjoy tennis again. In her first Grand Slam quarter-final in nearly four years, she held her nerve to defeat Karolina Muchova 6-4, 7-6 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Now, she progresses to the semi-finals to face Amanda Anisimova in what promises to be a titanic clash. The 27-year-old Japanese player is chasing history, aiming to be the first player to reach a Grand Slam final after becoming a mother since Victoria Azarenka, who made the 2020 US Open final, which Osaka won.

If Osaka wins the title, she will be the first player since Kim Clijsters to do so after having a child, clinching the 2011 Australian Open. Her hunger for success has been evident, especially after defeating Coco Gauff in the third round, signaling her desire for a third US Open title. However, she must first overcome Anisimova, who has also performed remarkably well. Anisimova avenged her previous loss to Iga Swiatek by winning their quarter-final match 6-4, 6-3. This match was their first encounter since Swiatek defeated Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the Wimbledon final.

The 24-year-old American is reaching her third Grand Slam semi-final and her first on home soil. She will look to the supportive home crowd for extra motivation. In their head-to-head record, Anisimova holds a 2-0 lead, with both victories occurring in 2022—first at the Australian Open and then at the French Open.