By Simon Jennings and Shrivathsa Sridhar
(Reuters) -Amanda Anisimova flipped the script on Wednesday, ousting second seed Iga Swiatek 6-4 6-3 to reach her first U.S. Open semi-final and exact revenge for one of the most brutal defeats in Grand Slam history.
Less than two months after suffering a devastating 6-0 6-0 loss to the world number two in the Wimbledon final, the American eighth seed won 67 of 121 points to complete the turnaround in 96 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"Playing here is so freaking
special," Anisimova said in her on-court interview. "I've been having the run of my life here... Today proved everything for me. I can do it."
The 24-year-old's transformation from July's tears to Wednesday's triumph epitomizes tennis's capacity for redemption.
After watching back the painful Wimbledon footage on Tuesday night, Anisimova admitted she was "slow as hell" in that final but approached this rematch with renewed purpose.
"Today is definitely the most meaningful victory I've had in my life," she told reporters. "I really came out there with, like, not an ounce of fear... I was constantly moving and trying to get myself going."
Swiatek acknowledged that her opponent's aggressive return game proved decisive.
"I couldn't win today's match playing like that, serving like that, and with Amanda being so aggressive on the returns," the six-time Grand Slam champion told reporters.
The American dominated on return, converting four of nine break opportunities while Swiatek managed just two breaks from four chances, ending her bid for a seventh Grand Slam title and second U.S. Open crown in the quarter-finals for the second straight year.
In the men's quarter-finals, 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime edged eighth seed Alex de Minaur 4-6 7-6(7) 7-5 7-6(7) in four hours and 10 minutes, firing 22 aces in a match decided by the thinnest margins - 158 points to 153.
"It was my toughest match... in this tournament so far," the Canadian said.
For De Minaur, it was another painful near-miss, extending his Grand Slam quarter-final losing streak to 0-6.
"My serve's been letting me down in big matches," he lamented. "It's pretty tough to win a high-quality match serving the way I did today."
The match featured remarkable drama as both players struggled on serve, combining for 22 double faults in a contest that swung on crucial moments.
Auger-Aliassime saved break points in key moments and showed the mental fortitude that has defined his resurgent season.
The Canadian's extended stay in New York may come at a personal cost.
"Obviously we're probably going to have to postpone it. It's a quick turnaround," said Auger-Aliassime, referring to his upcoming wedding plans that may now be delayed by his semi-final run.
His victory marked his first Grand Slam semi-final since his breakthrough run to the 2021 U.S. Open final four, when he became the first Canadian man to reach a U.S. Open semi-final in the tournament's history.
For De Minaur, who was aiming to become the first Australian man to reach a U.S. Open semi-final since Lleyton Hewitt in 2005, the defeat was particularly crushing.
The world number eight has now fallen short in six consecutive Grand Slam quarter-finals despite consistently reaching the second week on the sport's biggest stages.
Anisimova will face the winner of Karolina Muchova versus Naomi Osaka in the semi-finals, while Auger-Aliassime meets either defending champion Jannik Sinner or Lorenzo Musetti.
The American's journey from Wimbledon devastation to U.S. Open breakthrough serves as a powerful reminder that in tennis, the greatest comebacks often follow the most crushing defeats.
(Reporting by Simon Jennings in New York; Editing by Michael Perry)
