By Shrivathsa Sridhar
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Amanda Anisimova rallied from a set down to defeat four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka 6-7(4) 7-6(3) 6-3 on Thursday and reach the U.S. Open final, where she will take on holder Aryna Sabalenka for another shot at a maiden major crown.
Playing her first major semi-final since 2021, twice New York champion Osaka embraced the big occasion in the prime-time glare of Arthur Ashe Stadium after twice trading breaks with Anisimova in a tight opening set.
After a delayed line call by the automated system disrupted play, Osaka refocused and let out a big roar when Anisimova hit a shot into the net on set point in the tiebreak, but the 23rd seed struggled to carry the momentum forward in the next set.
The duo freely swapped breaks but dialled up the intensity with some ferocious hitting for 12 games in the next set before Wimbledon runner-up Anisimova pounced in the tiebreak to drag the match to a decider.
Eighth seed Anisimova surged ahead 4-1 thanks to a forehand winner and held her nerve from there to close out the victory and reach back-to-back Grand Slam finals.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in New York; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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