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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 Thursday in a rematch of last year’s final, while Naomi Osaka faces Amanda Anisimova for a place in the title decider.

World number one Sabalenka advanced via walkover after Marketa Vondrousova withdrew injured and is aiming to reach her sixth consecutive hardcourt Grand Slam final.

The Belarusian has made the semis 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 last four at Wimbledon.

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 in last year’s Flushing Meadows final.

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

“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.

American Anisimova has already savoured revenge at the tournament by stunning second seed Iga Swiatek 6–4 6–3 on Wednesday, 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 last year.

“To lose 6-0 6-0 in a Grand Slam final was a lot to experience,” Anisimova said. “I’m just really proud of myself.

“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 major final is Japan’s Osaka.

The four-times Grand Slam champion is steadily rebuilding her ranking and confidence, booking her fifth major semi-final with a 6-4 7-6(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 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 2018 and 2020, highlighted by her first top-10 victory of the season against third seed Coco Gauff in the fourth round.

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

US Open

The US Open is one of the world’s four major Grand Slam tennis tournaments, held annually in New York City. It was first contested in 1881 as the U.S. National Championship and has been played on hard courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center since 1978.

Melbourne Park

Melbourne Park is a major sports and entertainment precinct, best known as the home of the Australian Open tennis tournament since 1988. It was originally known as Flinders Park when it opened that year, having been redeveloped from a former rail yard site to create its iconic retractable-roof stadiums.

French Open

The French Open, officially known as Roland-Garros, is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments and is held annually in Paris. Established in 1891, the event is named after the French aviator Roland Garros and is renowned for its distinctive red clay courts, which produce a slow and physically demanding style of play. It is the premier clay court tennis championship in the world.

Wimbledon

Wimbledon is a district in southwest London best known as the home of The Championships, Wimbledon, the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world, first held in 1877. The event is famous for its traditions, including a strict all-white dress code for players and the consumption of strawberries and cream by spectators.

Flushing Meadows

Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is a public park in Queens, New York, famously known as the site of two 20th-century World’s Fairs (1939-40 and 1964-65). Its iconic landmarks, such as the Unisphere and the New York State Pavilion, are enduring symbols from these global expositions. Today, it is a major recreational space and also houses facilities like the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open.

Australian Open

The Australian Open is one of the world’s four major Grand Slam tennis tournaments, first held in 1905 as the Australasian Championships. It is held annually at Melbourne Park, featuring hard courts and known for its extreme summer heat, which led to the construction of its distinctive retractable roofs.

Roland Garros

Roland Garros is a major tennis complex in Paris, France, best known as the home of the French Open, one of tennis’s four Grand Slam tournaments. It was inaugurated in 1928 and named after Roland Garros, a pioneering French aviator and World War I hero. The venue’s signature red clay courts make it unique on the professional tennis tour.