The 2025 U.S. Open women’s singles semifinal between Naomi Osaka and Amanda Anisimova is shaping up to be one of the most compelling matchups in recent Grand Slam memory. As the action heats up at Flushing Meadows, tennis fans around the globe are buzzing with anticipation: can Osaka, a two-time U.S. Open champion, rediscover her magic on the big stage, or will Anisimova continue her stunning run and reach consecutive major finals?
Let’s start with the facts. Naomi Osaka, seeded 23rd, has powered through a challenging draw, defeating top talents and reminding everyone why she’s a four-time Grand Slam champion. After enduring a years-long winless drought that she finally broke in Saint Malo earlier this season, few expected Osaka to mount such a comeback at the U.S. Open. But here she is, having dispatched the likes of Daria Kasatkina, Greet Minnen, Hailey Baptiste, and most notably, world No. 3 Coco Gauff. Her most recent victory came against Karolina Muchova in a tight two-setter, 6-4, 7-6, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 3, 2025. That win punched her ticket to the semifinals and signaled that the Japanese star is back to her formidable best.
On the other side of the net, Amanda Anisimova, seeded eighth, has staged a remarkable resurgence of her own. Just weeks ago, she suffered a double-bagel defeat to Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon—a loss that raised serious questions about her ability to contend at the highest level. Yet, in New York, Anisimova has flipped the script. She not only avenged her Wimbledon loss by defeating Swiatek in straight sets in the U.S. Open quarterfinals on September 3, but she also notched victories over Kimberly Birrell, Maya Joint, Jaqueline Cristian, and 18th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia. Her performance has been nothing short of electrifying, and she now stands on the verge of her first U.S. Open final.
Both players have produced impressive stats this season. Anisimova has played 46 matches so far in 2025, racking up 145 aces, a 44.8 percent break conversion rate, and winning 65 percent of her first-serve points. Osaka, in 35 matches, has hammered 226 aces, converted 44.7 percent of break points, and won a whopping 73.5 percent of points on her first serve. These numbers don’t lie—both women are playing some of their best tennis right when it matters most.
But history favors the American. Anisimova holds a 2-0 head-to-head lead over Osaka, with both victories coming on the Grand Slam stage in 2022. Their first encounter was at the Australian Open, where Anisimova edged Osaka in a gripping three-set battle, including a tiebreaker. Later that year at Roland Garros, Anisimova claimed a more straightforward win in straight sets. As a result, she enters this semifinal with a psychological edge, but Osaka’s big-match pedigree can never be discounted.
The 2025 U.S. Open women’s singles tournament, running from August 24 through September 6, has already delivered plenty of drama. Top seeds Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, and Jessica Pegula all featured in the draw, but it’s the lower-seeded Osaka and the surging Anisimova who’ve captured the headlines. The semifinal showdown is scheduled for Thursday, September 4, 2025, at Arthur Ashe Stadium. It’s set to begin no earlier than 8:30 p.m. ET, following the other women’s semifinal between Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula, which gets underway at 7 p.m. ET.
Fans can catch the Osaka vs. Anisimova match live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes in the United States, with streaming available on ESPN unlimited, DirecTV, and Fubo. International viewers can tune in via Eurosport in Europe, Sky Sports in the UK, Star Sports in India, and a host of other global broadcasters. The U.S. Open’s newly expanded ESPN unlimited streaming service offers comprehensive coverage, with all quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals available to subscribers.
So, what’s at stake for these two unlikely semifinalists? For Osaka, it’s a shot at her first Grand Slam final in more than four years. According to The Tennis Letter, “Naomi Osaka will be back to #14 in the world when the new rankings come out.” Should she advance, she could climb even higher, marking a remarkable comeback for the former world No. 1. For Anisimova, it’s a chance to reach consecutive major finals—having been a Wimbledon finalist earlier this summer—and to become the third different American woman in as many years to reach the U.S. Open final.
The oddsmakers are calling this one close. BetMGM lists Osaka as a narrow favorite with odds of 22/25, while Anisimova sits at 49/50, implying roughly a 53 percent chance for the Japanese star to advance. The prediction from The Playoffs is bold: “Naomi Osaka in straight sets.” But with both players in resurgent form and the pressure of the Grand Slam semifinal, anything can happen.
Let’s not forget the context: Osaka’s journey back to the top included a run to the Canadian Open final earlier this summer, her first tournament with new coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. Her confidence has soared since, and her ability to rise in big matches is well documented. Meanwhile, Anisimova’s mental fortitude has been on full display, especially as she bounced back from Wimbledon heartbreak to defeat Swiatek, the very player who had dealt her that crushing loss.
The numbers, the narratives, and the stakes all point to a blockbuster at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Both Osaka and Anisimova have defied expectations, and their paths to the semifinals have been anything but straightforward. One brings the experience of Grand Slam glory, the other the hunger of a player eager to seize her moment on home soil.
As the clock ticks toward the first serve, tennis fans are left to wonder: will Osaka’s championship pedigree prevail, or will Anisimova’s home-court momentum carry her into the final? With the match set to air live and the world watching, one thing’s certain—this semifinal promises high drama, big serves, and unforgettable moments under the lights of New York City.
Stay tuned as the 2025 U.S. Open women’s singles semifinal unfolds, with Naomi Osaka and Amanda Anisimova ready to write the next thrilling chapter in their rivalry. The winner will move one step closer to Grand Slam glory, while the tennis world holds its breath for what could be a classic at Flushing Meadows.
