Naomi Osaka’s comeback tour rolled on in New York with the kind of composure that once made her a Grand Slam giant.
Under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday, the former world No. 1 tamed Karolina Muchova 6-4, 7-6(3), booking her first semi-final spot at a major since 2021.
On the other side of the draw, Amanda Anisimova authored the upset of the tournament, dismantling second seed Iga Swiatek in straight sets to storm into the last four.
Osaka holds her nerve against a wounded Muchova
The quarter-final opened like a classic slugfest. Muchova, seeded 11th, was serving immaculately, landing 83% of her first deliveries, while Osaka relied on her sharp return game and heavy groundstrokes to stay level. At 5-4, Osaka sniffed her moment. Three set points came and went before Muchova finally cracked, sending a forehand long to hand Osaka the opener.
Already running on tired legs after more than 10 hours on court in the previous rounds, the Czech took a medical timeout, reappearing with her left thigh strapped. Still, she wasn’t done. Muchova carved out a break midway through the second set with slick net play, only for Osaka to answer back instantly with a forehand winner that drew a roar from the crowd.
From then, the match tilted decisively. Osaka dictated tempo, forcing Muchova into longer rallies she could no longer chase. In the tie-break, the Japanese star blended patience with explosive shot-making, closing out the contest with the authority of old.
“It feels incredible to be back in the semi-finals here,” Osaka reflected. “I knew I had to stay composed against Karolina because she always fights until the end. I just tried to focus on my serve and take my chances.”
Anisimova’s redemption after Wimbledon heartbreak
If Osaka’s win was expected, Anisimova’s was the stuff of shocks. Facing the very woman who humiliated her 6-0, 6-0 in the Wimbledon final barely two months ago, the 23-year-old American flipped the script in breathtaking style. With fearless hitting and remarkable poise, she dispatched Swiatek 6-4, 6-3 in what she called the most meaningful win of her career.
Anisimova played with freedom, blasting four breaks of serve and sealing 67 total points with confident baseline aggression. A delicate improvised backhand volley early in the match drew gasps, but it was her steel under pressure — three aces and 71% success on first-serve points — that made the difference. Swiatek, uncharacteristically error-prone, coughed up three double faults and never found her rhythm.
“Playing here is so freaking special. I’ve been having the run of my life,” Anisimova said, still breathless courtside. “To come back from Wimbledon like that is really special to me. I worked so hard to turn things around, and today proved everything — I can do it.”
Swiatek, who had been chasing a seventh Slam, was blunt in defeat: “I couldn’t win today’s match playing like that, serving like that, and with Amanda being so aggressive on the returns.”
With Osaka and Anisimova both through, the women’s draw now has a distinctly unpredictable edge — one decorated champion reborn, and one young American rewriting her story on the biggest stage.
Under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday, the former world No. 1 tamed Karolina Muchova 6-4, 7-6(3), booking her first semi-final spot at a major since 2021.
On the other side of the draw, Amanda Anisimova authored the upset of the tournament, dismantling second seed Iga Swiatek in straight sets to storm into the last four.
Osaka holds her nerve against a wounded Muchova
The quarter-final opened like a classic slugfest. Muchova, seeded 11th, was serving immaculately, landing 83% of her first deliveries, while Osaka relied on her sharp return game and heavy groundstrokes to stay level. At 5-4, Osaka sniffed her moment. Three set points came and went before Muchova finally cracked, sending a forehand long to hand Osaka the opener.
Already running on tired legs after more than 10 hours on court in the previous rounds, the Czech took a medical timeout, reappearing with her left thigh strapped. Still, she wasn’t done. Muchova carved out a break midway through the second set with slick net play, only for Osaka to answer back instantly with a forehand winner that drew a roar from the crowd.
From then, the match tilted decisively. Osaka dictated tempo, forcing Muchova into longer rallies she could no longer chase. In the tie-break, the Japanese star blended patience with explosive shot-making, closing out the contest with the authority of old.
“It feels incredible to be back in the semi-finals here,” Osaka reflected. “I knew I had to stay composed against Karolina because she always fights until the end. I just tried to focus on my serve and take my chances.”
Anisimova’s redemption after Wimbledon heartbreak
If Osaka’s win was expected, Anisimova’s was the stuff of shocks. Facing the very woman who humiliated her 6-0, 6-0 in the Wimbledon final barely two months ago, the 23-year-old American flipped the script in breathtaking style. With fearless hitting and remarkable poise, she dispatched Swiatek 6-4, 6-3 in what she called the most meaningful win of her career.
Anisimova played with freedom, blasting four breaks of serve and sealing 67 total points with confident baseline aggression. A delicate improvised backhand volley early in the match drew gasps, but it was her steel under pressure — three aces and 71% success on first-serve points — that made the difference. Swiatek, uncharacteristically error-prone, coughed up three double faults and never found her rhythm.
“Playing here is so freaking special. I’ve been having the run of my life,” Anisimova said, still breathless courtside. “To come back from Wimbledon like that is really special to me. I worked so hard to turn things around, and today proved everything — I can do it.”
Swiatek, who had been chasing a seventh Slam, was blunt in defeat: “I couldn’t win today’s match playing like that, serving like that, and with Amanda being so aggressive on the returns.”
With Osaka and Anisimova both through, the women’s draw now has a distinctly unpredictable edge — one decorated champion reborn, and one young American rewriting her story on the biggest stage.
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