Another Grand Slam semifinal, another rollercoaster. Under the bright lights, Naomi Osaka faced Amanda Anisimova in a clash that promised drama and delivered from the very first game. Momentum swung back and forth, with both players flashing brilliance but also showing nerves under pressure.
Osaka Overcomes Hawk-Eye Glitch To Take Tie-Break
Everything started smoothly for the Japanese star in the opening set. She immediately secured the first break point and consolidated with a love game, then raced to three more points on Anisimova’s serve. A 3-0 lead seemed within reach — but in moments, it was 2-2.
Osaka, unfazed, broke again and this time consolidated for 4-2 and 5-3. Serving for the set at 5-4, however, she faltered badly. Anisimova needed three game points but managed to break back.
The set drifted into a tiebreak, where it looked like Anisimova had the momentum. Yet suddenly the errors piled up from the American’s racket, and at 1-3 down she cracked further with another mistake. Too quickly it was 1-4, then Osaka drilled an ace down the middle — her fifth of the match — sprinting away while Anisimova unraveled after the change of ends.
At 6-1, Osaka held five set points. Anisimova saved two, including with an ace of her own, but still trailed 6-3. Then came drama: mid-rally, a late out call combined with a Hawk-Eye malfunction forced the umpire to consult with the system supervisor. The point was eventually awarded to Anisimova, without further dispute.
Unmoved, Osaka coolly converted her fourth set point to take the opener 7-6.
Osaka vs Anisimova – Set 1 Stats
| Statistic | Osaka | Anisimova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.12 | 0.89 |
| Winners | 9 | 17 |
| Unforced Errors | 10 | 23 |
| Serve Rating | 247 | 242 |
| Aces | 5 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 2 |
| 1st Serve % | 65% (28/43) | 64% (29/45) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 71% (20/28) | 55% (16/29) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 40% (6/15) | 56% (9/16) |
| Break Points Saved | 60% (3/5) | 60% (3/5) |
| Service Games | 67% (4/6) | 67% (4/6) |
| Ace % | 11.6% | 4.4% |
| Double Fault % | 2.3% | 4.4% |
| Return Rating | 162 | 162 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 45% (13/29) | 29% (8/28) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 44% (7/16) | 60% (9/15) |
| Break Points Won | 40% (2/5) | 40% (2/5) |
| Return Games | 33% (2/6) | 33% (2/6) |
| Pressure Points | 50% (5/10) | 50% (5/10) |
| Service Points | 60% (26/43) | 56% (25/45) |
| Return Points | 44% (20/45) | 40% (17/43) |
| Net Points | 100% (2/2) | 100% (5/5) |
| Total Points | 52% (46/88) | 48% (42/88) |
| Max Points In A Row | 11 | 6 |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Service Games Won | 67% (4/6) | 67% (4/6) |
| Return Games Won | 33% (2/6) | 33% (2/6) |
| Total Games Won | 50% (6/12) | 50% (6/12) |
| Max Games In A Row | 2 | 3 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Match Duration | 1h 03m | |
Anisimova had been her equal throughout, but in the tiebreak the American blinked — and Osaka seized control.
A Wonderful Second Set Containing Hidden Message: ‘Let’s play a Third!’
Anisimova burst out of the blocks in set two with an immediate break of serve. But she couldn’t consolidate, and after a tough hold from Osaka she found herself back on the chase. The atmosphere at Arthur Ashe was oddly muted in the lower stands — a reminder that not everyone realizes just how gripping and brutally mental women’s tennis can be.
Serving at 1-2, Anisimova was tested again. With a forehand winner and an ace, the 24-year-old battled to 40-30, only to squander the chance with an unforced error. She gestured angrily toward her box — why oh why? Yet she didn’t let it linger. The American dug deep to win the longest rally of the match and, after more back-and-forth, finally held for 2-2.
Could momentum shift now? Osaka stayed steady. A clean duel at the net pulled her to 15-all, but Anisimova’s forehand seemed to be warming up. At 15-30, Osaka responded with a laser forehand winner into the corner for 30-all. Another error from the Japanese gave Anisimova a break point. On a second serve, Osaka narrowly escaped when Anisimova struck a ball onto the tape — only for it to fly long. Relief turned to frustration as Anisimova’s own unforced error handed Osaka the break. For the first time, Osaka lost her cool after a point, smashing her racket on the court. Was this the turning point? If so, Anisimova needed to press.
Serving at 2-3, the American pushed to 15-30 but let it slip, Osaka roaring after saving break point and leveling at 3-3. Fired up, Osaka went into turbo mode, striking an ace to secure a quick 4-3 lead. The look she shared with her box said it all: I am back.
But Anisimova was far from finished. After adjusting her ponytail, she launched a superb backhand into the corner and followed it with an ace for 40-15. A flawless game, and it was 4-4. The “Come Ons” kept echoing around Arthur Ashe as Osaka again wobbled from 40-0 to deuce. Anisimova pounced, producing a deep return to earn break point — a virtual set point. Osaka fired wide, and suddenly the world No. 9 had the chance to serve for the set.
The Drama
Then came the drama. Osaka unleashed two all-out returns to go 0-30, and Anisimova crumbled with a double fault to hand the break back. 5-5. What a thriller this semifinal was turning into. From Anisimova’s box came a piece of advice: Don’t focus on me — focus on your opponent!
Osaka then survived a tense service game, saving break points with net play and an ace before closing for 6-5. It was already past midnight as Anisimova stepped up to serve, showing steel nerves to force another tiebreak.
And again, the breaker turned chaotic. Anisimova raced to 4-0 as Osaka sprayed errors. The American, unleashing a dazzling backhand, pushed it to 5-1 — the mirror image of the first-set tiebreak. Osaka clawed back two points, but Anisimova powered through with a return winner to claim it 7-3.
Osaka vs Anisimova – Set 2 Stats
| Statistic | Osaka | Anisimova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.87 | 1.15 |
| Winners | 15 | 17 |
| Unforced Errors | 12 | 13 |
| Serve Rating | 206 | 211 |
| Aces | 5 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 0 | 2 |
| 1st Serve % | 64% (32/50) | 57% (24/42) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 59% (19/32) | 71% (17/24) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 28% (5/18) | 33% (6/18) |
| Break Points Saved | 57% (4/7) | 25% (1/4) |
| Service Games | 50% (3/6) | 50% (3/6) |
| Ace % | 10% | 4.8% |
| Double Fault % | 0% | 4.8% |
| Return Rating | 221 | 206 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 29% (7/24) | 41% (13/32) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 67% (12/18) | 72% (13/18) |
| Break Points Won | 75% (3/4) | 43% (3/7) |
| Return Games | 50% (3/6) | 50% (3/6) |
| Pressure Points | 64% (7/11) | 36% (4/11) |
| Service Points | 48% (24/50) | 55% (23/42) |
| Return Points | 45% (19/42) | 52% (26/50) |
| Net Points | 60% (3/5) | 50% (2/4) |
| Total Points | 47% (43/92) | 53% (49/92) |
| Max Points In A Row | 4 | 8 |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Service Games Won | 50% (3/6) | 50% (3/6) |
| Return Games Won | 50% (3/6) | 50% (3/6) |
| Total Games Won | 50% (6/12) | 50% (6/12) |
| Max Games In A Row | 2 | 2 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Set 2 Duration | 1h 11m | |
After saving herself in dramatic style, Anisimova had leveled the match at one set all. The decider would tell the story. And it did.
Anisimova Turns the Tide Early in the Decider
At 2h20 of matchplay, just two points had been played on Anisimova’s serve in the opening game of the deciding set, and she trailed 0-30. Four points in a row, however, gave her an early mental boost. Yet the Japanese held serve as well, keeping the score balanced.
Anisimova, though, began to find more and more rhythm. She held easily, while Osaka — attended to by physios — returned to the court facing the disadvantage of serving second in the set. She had failed to capitalize on that same advantage in set two, and now fell under pressure again at 0-30. An ace offered temporary relief, but then the tide turned. A short rally gave Anisimova two break points at 1-3, and with aggressive hitting she forced the error. What a turnaround.
The American surged forward, hammering away to 30-0, only to toss in a double fault. Unfazed, she responded with an ace and sealed the game for 4-1. Osaka looked rooted to the court, her energy fading fast, body and mind both wilting. Yet she managed to scrap through her next service game for 2-4, holding on to the faintest hope.
Sealing the Victory in the Small Hours
With a third ace of the set, Anisimova leveled at 15-15, and another Osaka miss — more frequent now than in the previous two sets combined — pushed her on to 5-2. Only nerves could deny the American a place in the final. All of it unfolded at a scandalous hour — nearly 1 a.m. in New York.
Osaka, looking frustrated, trailed 0-15 as she fought to stay alive. She struck an ace and a clever shot to reach 30-15, then held for 3-5. Still, Anisimova now had the chance to serve it out.
The drama only grew. A second serve from Anisimova was sent out by Osaka for 15-0. A backhand winner made it 30-0. Osaka took the next rally for 30-15, but another Anisimova backhand set up two match points. Osaka refused to fold, saving the first with a forehand winner. On the second, a missed first serve gave her a chance, but Osaka’s return drew a netted error. Two match points gone. Then came a double fault, opening the door. Break point Osaka.
But Anisimova unloaded with a forehand barrage to save it. Deuce. Osaka earned another break chance, Anisimova collapsed to the court, then fought back to deuce again after a let on second serve.
Match point number three arrived. And this time, a forehand that suddenly came alive spun into the corner for the winner.
Osaka vs Anisimova – Set 3 Stats
| Statistic | Osaka | Anisimova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.80 | 1.26 |
| Winners | 8 | 16 |
| Unforced Errors | 5 | 9 |
| Serve Rating | 253 | 296 |
| Aces | 5 | 3 |
| Double Faults | 0 | 2 |
| 1st Serve % | 57% (12/21) | 61% (20/33) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 83% (10/12) | 80% (16/20) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 33% (3/9) | 54% (7/13) |
| Break Points Saved | 0% (0/1) | 100% (2/2) |
| Service Games | 75% (3/4) | 100% (5/5) |
| Ace % | 23.8% | 9.1% |
| Double Fault % | 0% | 6.1% |
| Return Rating | 66 | 209 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 20% (4/20) | 17% (2/12) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 46% (6/13) | 67% (6/9) |
| Break Points Won | 0% (0/2) | 100% (1/1) |
| Return Games | 0% (0/5) | 25% (1/4) |
| Pressure Points | 0% (0/3) | 100% (3/3) |
| Service Points | 62% (13/21) | 70% (23/33) |
| Return Points | 30% (10/33) | 38% (8/21) |
| Net Points | 0% (0/1) | 100% (5/5) |
| Total Points | 43% (23/54) | 57% (31/54) |
| Max Points In A Row | 4 | 6 |
| Match Points Saved | 2 | 0 |
| Service Games Won | 75% (3/4) | 100% (5/5) |
| Return Games Won | 0% (0/5) | 25% (1/4) |
| Total Games Won | 33% (3/9) | 67% (6/9) |
| Max Games In A Row | 1 | 3 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Set 3 Duration | 0h 44m | |
Amanda Anisimova had done it. After defeating Swiatek, she now sent a brave Naomi Osaka packing as well, and was trough to the final after an epic match of women’s tennis. Again.