Amanda Anisimova tastes sweet redemption, matches Williams sisters feat

Matching Williams sisters

By reaching her first U.S. Open semifinal, Anisimova became the first American to reach the final-four on all three surfaces at Grand Slam events since Serena Williams and Venus Williams in 2002. 

Anisimova reached the semifinal of the 2019 French Open as a teenager, after which a back injury slowed down her ascension. Following a mental-health hiatus in 2023, she struggled to find her form in a disappointing 2024 season. She has completely flipped the script this year, winning 73 percent of her matches, including her maiden Grand Slam final appearance at Wimbledon and first-ever WTA-1000 title at Doha.

By making a deep run at the U.S. Open, she has established herself as a legitimate threat on all three surfaces — an impressive feat for a player whose career has been filled with many twists and turns.

Giant slayer

As part of her impressive 2025, Anisimova has defeated the best players in tennis, including the top two: World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek, in consecutive majors. After defeating Sabalenka in the Wimbledon semifinal, she got her revenge on Swiatek on Wednesday, becoming the youngest player in 16 years to beat the world's top two players in consecutive Grand Slam events. 

Naomi Osaka awaits

Anisimova will face two-time U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka in Thursday's semifinal. A win will earn her the unique distinction as the first American since Serena Williams to reach back-to-back major finals.

Regardless of the outcome, it's undeniable that Anisimova is a rising star and a future Grand Slam champion in the making. She has risen to a career-high No. 5 in the Live WTA Rankings, making her a lock to qualify for the year-ending WTA Finals — a remarkable feat for someone who was ranked 442 at the start of 2024.