Amanda Anisimova produced one of the biggest turnarounds of the season as she defeated world number two Iga Swiatek in straight sets to secure her place in the US Open semi-finals. The American eighth seed triumphed 6-4, 6-3 in a tense one-hour and 36-minute battle at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday, just weeks after suffering a devastating 6-0, 6-0 loss to Swiatek in the Wimbledon final.
For Anisimova, the victory was more than just a semifinal ticket – it was a statement of resilience. “This is everything to me,” she said. “Coming back from Wimbledon like that feels incredibly special. I worked so hard to stay strong mentally and physically.”
Swiatek, who came into the tournament as the hot favourite after winning Wimbledon and the Cincinnati Open, struggled with her serve throughout the match. She landed just 50% of her first serves and managed to win only 10 out of 30 points on her second serve, giving Anisimova the opportunity to dictate play with aggressive returns.
The first set saw both players exchange early breaks before Anisimova broke again in the tenth game, clinching the set as Swiatek’s forehand error sailed long. In the second set, Swiatek briefly led 2-0, but Anisimova immediately broke back and then capitalised on Swiatek’s double faults to seize control. Serving for the match at 5-3, the American earned three match points and closed out the contest when a net cord bounced beyond Swiatek’s reach.
The win marks redemption for the 24-year-old, who had been on the wrong side of Wimbledon history as only the third player to lose a Grand Slam final without winning a game. Now, she is two wins away from her maiden Grand Slam title and will face either Naomi Osaka or Karolina Muchova in the semi-finals.
“This was a fight from the first ball,” Anisimova reflected. “But I trusted my game and kept pushing myself. Today proved I could come back stronger.”
