Amanda Animova’s Breakout Summer in New York reached another level Thursday night after the 23-year-old American attacked from a group to defeat Naomi Osaka 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3), 6-3 and booked her place in her US Open final in Arthur Ase Stadium.
In her second final of Grand Slam career, Animova will face defensive champion Aryna Sabalenka for the title Saturday in Arthur Ase Stadium.
“It was a really difficult match,” Animova said after her 2:56 triumph, in which she hit 50 winners in Osaka.
The match ended well after midnight, but Animova’s energy was never shaken when she remained invincible against the big champion four times and improved to 12-1 in her last 13 games Grand Slam.
“Most of the time I thought it will leave me, and I will not do it in the final,” she told reporters. “At some points I was trying to accept this, as tough as it was. Yes, and in the later moments of the second set I was trying to remind myself what was in line and the opportunity I have.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1ilebgpreg
Osaka, competing with her first major semifinal since 2021, was a game from victory in the second set, but Traceimova had other ideas. The held American served to force a switch, then raised in the lead 4-0 before claiming the set.
From there, she prevailed early in the third while Osaka fought with a proper calf issue.
“I came to trial and felt like I was not playing tennis because I was nervous and letting the stress come to me a little,” Animova admitted. “But then I tried to dig deep and find my game. I feel as if throughout the match I was able to find it more and more, and yes, the most important thing was I continued to fight.”
The loss marks the first loss of Osaka in a semifinal of Grand Slam. Before this year’s US Open, she had won all four diplomas in which she had reached at least in the quarter -finals.
At the loss, the 26-year-old found positive in her race, her first first played under the young coach Tomasz Wiktorowski.
“I honestly don’t feel sad,” she said. “Really really weird. Well, it’s not strange, because I just feel like I have done the best I could. Honestly, it’s a kind of inspiration for me, because it just makes me want to train and try to get better, and I just just give my best goal and see what happens. But I think I can’t be crazy.”
Animova will take the court again on Saturday, facing Aryna Sabalenka for the title. Earlier in the evening, Belarusi defeated Jessica Pegula in a match of last year’s women’s finale in Flushing.
Animova defeated Sabalenka in Wimbledon’s semifinal in July, and possesses an advantage of life 6-3 on it.
“It is the number 1 player in the world, and she is playing amazing tennis,” she said. “It will be a really hard match and a battle. Yes, I’m excited. Whenever we played, it’s been great.”
