Naomi Osaka faced a resilient, determined foe in the US Open women's singles semifinals late Thursday night, September 4 in New York.
American No 8 seed Amanda Anisimova advanced to the US Open final with a gritty 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 win over Osaka in their 2-hour, 56-minute showdown.
Anisimova suffered a humiliating 6-0, 6-0 loss to Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final in July 2025. She avenged that loss with a 6-4, 6-3 triumph on Wednesday over world No 2 Swiatek in the quarterfinals of the year's final Grand Slam event.
That set up Anisimova's clash with Osaka, who was aiming to reach the final in her second straight tournament. Osaka was the runner-up at the National Bank Open in Montreal in early August.
Against Anisimova, the 23rd-seeded Osaka came up short in her quest to reach her first Grand Slam final since February 2021, when she won the Australian Open for the second time.
Anisimova, 24, improved to 3-0 against Osaka.
Perhaps the most revealing statistic about the up-and-coming American player's success against Osaka in the US Open semifinal was her ball-striking dominance. Anisimova owned a 50-32 advantage in winners.
Naomi Osaka Reacts to US Open Loss
After the match, Naomi Osaka commented on her intense duel with Anisimova.
"I wouldn't say it's a bigger challenge than I expected, because I kind of knew that she's that type of player," Osaka said, according to The Associated Press. "It was just kind of funny at times, because there is no pattern to what she's doing. It's kind of like she just hits at the empty court or whatever, and it usually goes in."
Added Osaka, "Obviously she went to the finals of Wimbledon, and now she's in the finals here. So it just shows that she's a really good player."
What was Anisimova's impression of Osaka's play in their spirited encounter and also in her earlier matches at the US Open?
"Naomi is playing amazing tennis," Anisimova told reporters, according to the WTA Tour website's match recap. "She's back where she belongs, and I told her I'm so proud of her. After having a baby, to be playing at this level ― it's insane. She was really giving me a run for the final, and I wasn't sure I'd make it past the finish line."
A Look Ahead
In Saturday's title match, Anisimova will play reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, in the other semifinal.
RELATED:
- ODDS and EVENS | Naomi Osaka Revitalizes Tennis Career with a New Coach
- Naomi Osaka Falls to Teenager Victoria Mboko in the National Bank Open Final
Volleyball
Japan Keeps Alive Medal Hopes at Women's World Championship
The Japan national team advanced to the 2025 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship semifinals with a hard-fought triumph over the Netherlands on Wednesday night, September 3.
After the two teams alternated wins in each of the first four sets, Japan closed out the match with a 15-12 victory in the decisive fifth game in Bangkok.
As a result, Japan will play in the world championship semifinal round for the first time since 2010. Japan, led by Turkish head coach Ferhat Akbas, will face Turkey in the semifinals on Saturday, September 6. The match is scheduled to start at 5:30 PM JST.
Japan star Yukiko Wada spoke about the team's mental fortitude and on-court experience after its quarterfinal win.
"This was really tough for us, but we just stayed focused to win the game, step by step," Wada said, according to the Volleyball World website. "We really enjoy our volleyball on the court and that contributed to our success so far."
Wada added, "We really enjoy all the support we get from the stands. When the fans cheer each of our points, we feel that they are together with us and this contributes to our motivation and energy on the court."
Turkey reached the final four for the first time with a 25-14, 22-25, 25-14, 25-23 win over the United States in the quarterfinals.
Entering this match, Japan is fifth in the updated world rankings and Turkey is fourth.
RELATED:
Rugby
Japan Women to Face Spain in Final Group Stage Match at Worlds
After its second lopsided loss at the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, Japan is now preparing for its final Pool C match in England.
The Sakura Fifteen will face Spain on Sunday, September 7 at York Community Stadium in York, England. Kickoff is at 8 PM JST.
Japan coach Lesley McKenzie spoke about the team's preparations for the Spain match after its 62-19 defeat to New Zealand on August 31 at Sandy Park in Exeter.
The Black Ferns led 39-5 at halftime.
"Next week we want to show the best of Japan," McKenzie told reporters. "We've had two teams in this draw that were determined to play the game that they wanted to impose. I think Spain will be quite similar to us in terms of what they want to play and showcase.
"We have to make sure we come out on top and really show the best of Japan. That's what we've talked about and what we will be prepping this week."
On August 24, Japan opened its Women's Rugby World Cup campaign with a 42-14 loss to Ireland in Northampton.
Soccer
Quarterfinals Kick Off in Levain Cup
The first four matches of the home-and-away J.League YBC Levain Cup quarterfinals were staged on Wednesday, September 3.
There were mixed results for home teams.
Kashiwa Reysol earned a 4-1 away triumph over Yokohama F Marinos, getting a pair of goals from striker Yuki Kakita in the second half to wrap up the win.
Also Wednesday, the host Urawa Reds played to a 1-1 draw against Kawasaki Frontale.
Elsewhere, Yokohama FC earned a 2-0 home win against Vissel Kobe, while Shonan Bellmare delighted the local fans in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 3-2 decision over Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
The second-leg quarterfinal matches are scheduled for Sunday, September 7.
RELATED:
Did You Know?
The Los Angeles Dodgers recently released a 35-minute documentary, The Story of Nomomania, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Hideo Nomo's first MLB season. Nomo made his MLB debut on May 2, 1995, against the San Francisco Giants.
"He was a modern-day pioneer, without a doubt," former Dodgers catcher Mike Piazza, a National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, said in the documentary. "I think if he would have failed he probably would have set [back] the modern movement of Japanese players coming to the major leagues, he probably would have set them back at least a decade, maybe more, in my opinion."
Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login