Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka meet again, Naomi Osaka faces Amanda Anisimova in US Open semis

NEW YORK – Revenge will be at the forefront of Jessica Pegula’s mind when she takes on Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open semi-finals on Sept 4 (Sept 5, Singapore time) in a rematch of the 2024 final, while Naomi Osaka faces Amanda Anisimova for a place in the title decider.

World No. 1 Sabalenka advanced via walkover after Marketa Vondrousova withdrew injured and is aiming to reach her sixth-straight hard-court Grand Slam final.

The Belarusian has made the semi-finals at all four Majors this season but has yet to win a title, losing in the Melbourne Park and French Open finals, and to Anisimova in the Wimbledon last four.

Pegula arrives in peak form. Her 6-3, 6-3 win over Barbora Krejcikova made her the first American woman since Serena Williams (2011-14) to reach back-to-back US Open semi-finals without dropping a set.

The Buffalo native has not faced a top-50 opponent in the tournament so far but now gets the sternest test possible against Sabalenka, who denied her a first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in 2024.

“I think it would be cool to get revenge, obviously,” Pegula told reporters.

“Last year I walked off court thinking about everything I could have done better, but now I see how incredible that run really was. I’m playing the best player in the world, and that’s exciting.”

Sabalenka holds a 7-2 lead in their head-to-head record and has won their last three meetings on North American hard courts.

She has not dropped a set en route to her fifth straight US Open semi-final and is relishing the pressure that comes with being the top seed.

“I’m enjoying being world No. 1. I’m enjoying this pressure. I’m working really hard to be where I am,” she said. “For me, it’s a fun life if you’re really enjoying your job.”

Meanwhile, American Anisimova has already savoured revenge at the tournament by stunning second seed Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-3 on Sept 3, a win that comes two months after suffering a double-bagel loss to the Pole in the Wimbledon final.

Backed by a buzzing home crowd, the 24-year-old has underlined her return to top form after taking a mental health break in 2024.

“To lose 6-0, 6-0 in a Grand Slam final was a lot to experience,” Anisimova said.

“I watched (it) back, as painful as it was, just to see, like, what I can avoid or what went wrong. Then after I had to watch some good highlights to remove that from my brain.

“I’m just really proud of myself today. I feel like I really made a point to myself and maybe to other people that if you really put on a positive mindset... you can have a positive outcome.”

Standing in her way of a second straight Slam final is Japan’s Osaka.

The four-time Grand Slam champion is steadily rebuilding her ranking and confidence, booking her fifth Major semi-final with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) win over 11th seed Karolina Muchova, a year after the Czech beat her in the second round.

“I’m just really grateful to be here,” Osaka, 27, said after reaching her first Grand Slam semi-final since 2021.

“I was sitting up there watching (in 2023) hoping I would have the opportunity to play on this court again, so my dream is coming true.”

Osaka has shown flashes of the form that carried her to US Open titles in 2020 and 2018, highlighted by her first top-10 victory of the season against third seed Coco Gauff in the fourth round.

She will be chasing her first win over Anisimova, who beat her in both of their previous meetings in 2022 at Roland Garros and the Australian Open. REUTERS