Amanda Anishimova is in her second straight grand slam final, but she’s probably hoping for a more disastrous show than Wimbledon is showing in July. Anishimoba will face world number one Arena Sabalenka in the US Open Finals on Saturday.
Anishimoba’s excellent run to the Wimbledon Final led to a disaster in the Championship match, falling to Iga Swiatek 6-0, 6-0 in less than an hour’s match. In pursuit of her first Grand Slam title, Anishimoba had to exercise the ghost of that swaitec match when they faced off in the quarter-finals. This time, after breaking Swiatek’s service four times, it was Anishimoba who won in the straight set.
In the semi-finals, Anishimoba won a thrilling match against four major Titleist Naomi Osaka.
“In the moment after the second set, I was trying to remind myself of what was on the line and the opportunities I had,” Anishimova said Thursday. “I stepped onto the court, and I felt like I wasn’t playing tennis because I was nervous and I was giving them a bit of stress. But I delved deeper and tried to find the game.
No. 8 Seeda Manda Anishimoba defeats 23-seeded Naomi big in a tough three-setter to reach the open final
Zachary Pereles
On Saturday, Anishimoba will be on the other side of the storyline seeking revenge. Sabalenka ended his Wimbledon run with Anishimoba in this year’s semi-finals.
Anisimova’s defeat was the latest in Sabalenka’s frustrating, massive tournament in 2025. Sabalenka was defeated by Madison Keys in the Australian Open Finals, Cocogoff in the French Open Finals, and Anisimova in the aforementioned Wimbledon mentality. All three of her grand slam losses this year came to the Americans.
“I really wanted to give another opportunity, another final, and I want to prove to myself that I have learned those tough lessons.
Where to see Anishimoba vs Sabalenka at the American Open Finals
date: September 6th | Start time: 4pm
position: Arthur Ash Stadium – New York
TV Channel: ESPN | stream: fubo (try it for free)
Odds: Sabalenka -200, Anisimova +160
prediction
Sabalenka is listed as a favorite of -200 on Draftkings and is preferred for reasons. Despite failing to win this year’s Grand Slam title, Sabalenka has won three major title wins in her career, including last year’s US Open. She is a very skilled player and can overwhelm any player in the world when she is playing the game.
Unfortunately, for Sabalenka, she is often her own worst enemy. When things aren’t going well, she becomes visibly irritated, and as a result, her play suffers. A perfect example of this flaw was the French Open Final against Gauff, a match where Sabalenka fell completely in her head in the match she won in the first set.
If Anisimova wants to take advantage of Sabalenka’s mental revocation, she cannot afford to start slowly. Although that moment seemed to overwhelm her against Swiatek at Wimbledon, she is now in the main finals and knows how it feels to step into the courthouse.
Anishimova also has the advantage of the house crowd, which should be perfectly behind her, even before the first serve. If Sabalenka is always struggling, the crowd could also appear.
Still, it’s difficult to bet on Sabalenka. She is number one in the world for reasons, and she is much more seasoned at the biggest moments of the sport. Pick: 3 sets of Aryna Sabalenka
