US Open: Anisimova gains Swiatek revenge, Auger-Aliassime in semis

New York: Amanda Anisimova avenged her Wimbledon thrashing by Iga Swiatek to reach the US Open semi-finals on Wednesday, while a resurgent Felix Auger-Aliassime sealed his place in the last four.

Anisimova rebounded from her disastrous double-bagel defeat at the hands of Swiatek at Wimbledon two months ago, beating the second-ranked Pole 6-4, 6-3 in New York.

"I've been having the run of my life here," said Anisimova.

"The first day I got here I was like 'OK, let's try and get through one round... This has been such a dream. To come back from Wimbledon like that is really special to me."

The American eighth seed will play two-time former US Open champion Naomi Osaka or Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova on Thursday for a place in the final.

Second seed Swiatek entered the US Open as the bookmakers' favourite, after she followed up her maiden Wimbledon title with victory at the Cincinnati Open WTA 1000 event.

Swiatek broke in the first game of the match but Anisimova hit back immediately and snatched the opening set when her rival ballooned a forehand long.

Anisimova again had to rally after falling behind early in the second set. She broke back for 2-2 and then moved a game from victory as Swiatek coughed up a costly double fault.

Swiatek saved two match points but a net cord in Anisimova's favour sealed the win and a sense of redemption for the 24-year-old.

"I kind of have to let it go and just focus on the next one," said Swiatek.

Osaka and Muchova face off later Wednesday in the other women's quarter-final.

Japanese star Osaka is enjoying her deepest run at a Grand Slam since returning to tennis after the birth of her daughter in 2023 and looked close to her best form in a confident 6-3, 6-2 defeat of third seed Coco Gauff on Monday.

Auger-Aliassime overcame Alex de Minaur in a four-set battle lasting over four hours to reach his second US Open semi-final.

The 25-year-old Canadian is back in the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2021 US Open after beating eighth seed De Minaur 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-5, 7-6 (7/4).

"Some days you won't feel your best but I was willing to dig really deep and do everything I can," said Auger-Aliassime.

"It feels amazing. Four years ago, it feels like more. It was a tough couple of years but it feels even better now to be in the semi-finals."

Australia's De Minaur, 26, has now lost all six of his Grand Slam quarter-finals.

"Right now I'm looking at this like a wasted opportunity," De Minaur said.

In the other men's quarter-final on Wednesday, Italy's Lorenzo Musetti has the unenviable task of trying to halt compatriot Jannik Sinner's serene progress towards a successful defence of his US Open title.

Musetti, the 10th seed, has lost both of his previous meetings against Sinner, who executed an awe-inspiring drubbing of big-serving Alexander Bublik on Monday to reach the last eight.

Bublik, who described Sinner as "like an AI-generated player", was obliterated 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 in a near-flawless performance from the reigning champion.

Musetti is under no illusions about the scale of the task facing him in the quarter-finals.

"He's the best player in the world, so I guess that's the biggest challenge that we have in our sport," Musetti said of Sinner.

"That's what drive me really crazy, the idea to try to break this amazing run that he's been doing."