Ranking the U.S. Open semifinals from least to most exciting

Six of the eight semifinalists at the 2025 U.S. Open are top-eight seeds, while the other two are in the top 25. As such, the final major of the year has been devoid of too many upsets, giving fans the blockbuster matchups they anticipated when the draws were announced.

Here, we rank the four semifinals from least to most exciting.

No. 1 Jannik Sinner vs. No. 25 Felix Auger-Aliassime

A few years ago, Auger-Aliassime was seen as one of the rising stars in tennis after making deep runs at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open, reaching a career-high ranking of World No. 6. Then, a series of injuries stopped his ascension. Now, the Canadian is playing at an elite level again, having beaten two top-10 players en route to his first semifinal at Flushing Meadows since 2021. Unfortunately for him, he'll be running into the defending champion, who has won 26 consecutive matches at hard-court majors and is dubbed by his peers as "AI-generated" and "unplayable." Also, he was crushed in straight sets by Sinner at the same juncture of last month's Cincinnati Open.

No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka vs. No. 4 Jessica Pegula

The rematch of last year's final comes with a few interesting caveats. Sabalenka has lost her aura of invincibility, having lost two finals and a semifinal at the first three majors of the year —  incidentally, all to Americans. If she loses another high-stakes match, the "choker" label will resurface. Meanwhile, Pegula walks in with little expectation from others, though she's admittedly seeking "revenge" for last year's loss. The 31-year-old also realizes she may not get too many more chances to win her elusive major, especially in front of her home fans. The head-to-head record and recent form favor Sabalenka, but none of that matters, as she found out on three separate occasions earlier this year.   

No. 8 Amanda Anisimova vs. No. 23 Naomi Osaka

If you're a fan of redemption stories, this match is for you. Anisimova, once a rising star, fell off the map after her 2023 mental-health hiatus, so much so that she started 2024 ranked World No. 442, didn't qualify for Wimbledon and lost in the second round at the U.S. Open. This year, she's been on a tear, winning 73 percent of her matches, including reaching her first major final at Wimbledon. Osaka is in the midst of her own redemption arc, having played in obscure Challenger events to gain reps after her maternity break — to return to her once elite level, which she has. Expect the crowd to be split in rooting for these ladies of resurgence. Anisimova may be American, but Osaka, a two-time U.S. Open winner, is home away from home.

No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz vs. No. 7 Novak Djokovic

The red-hot Alcaraz has won 35 of his last 36 matches, while Djokovic's body has broken down in three consecutive major semifinals. Every sign points to the Spaniard winning this to set up a hat-trick of major finals against Sinner — after they split at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon. That said, Djokovic is 3-0 against Alcaraz on hard courts, including a breezy win at this year's Australian Open. If there's one surface where you can count on Djokovic overcoming the odds, it's his beloved hard court. The 38-year-old is also racing against time, knowing that this could be his last chance to secure the record-breaking 25th major. Expect the Serbian to come out, and most likely go out, swinging.