Tennis legends react to big shock as Amanda Anisimova stuns Iga Swiatek at US Open 2025 - 'I didn't believe in her'
By Jonny Bray
Updated 04/09/2025 at 15:38 GMT+1
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Legends of tennis have reacted to a big shock at the US Open as Amanda Anisimova stunned Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals. Anisimova bounced back from a one-sided defeat in the Wimbledon final to beat her Polish rival at her home Slam. The American star dispatched the world No. 2 in straight sets and can now look ahead to a mouth-watering semi-final against fan favorite Naomi Osaka.
Swiatek: 'Everybody knows how Amanda can play'
Video credit: SNTV
TNT Sports expert Justine Henin admits she had given up hope on US Open semi-finalist Amanda Anisimova two years ago.
During May 2023, the American star revealed that she would be taking time away from the sport in order to focus on her mental health and combat the effects of burnout.
However, she has been a revelation since her return, reaching the final of Wimbledon 2025 before booking her place in the semi-finals of her home Slam with an emphatic 6-4 6-3 triumph over six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek.
Anisimova will take on Naomi Osaka in the semis, and Henin admits she has been surprised to see the 24-year-old return to the top of the sport.
"Amanda had a game point on her first service game," said the seven-time Grand Slam champion. "But she managed to break back straight away, and that was very important.
"We were focused on that first game because of Wimbledon. But she came onto the court with a much bigger idea than just doing better than at Wimbledon.
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Highlights: Anisimova and Auger-Aliassime both produce shocks to move into semi-finals
Video credit: SNTV
"Two years ago, I didn't believe in her anymore. When we saw her struggles, we didn't think she would come back like this.
"It's a lesson in courage and hard work. She took care of herself, in time, to take a step back from the circuit.
"When you're able to come back like that after what she went through at Wimbledon, it's impressive.
"She has incredible resources, and she knows how to use the difficult moments she's been through to her advantage."
Anisimova fell to a disappointing 6-0 6-0 defeat against Swiatek in a one-sided Wimbledon final in July.
However, she impressed against her Polish rival at Flushing Meadows, storming to victory to end her opponent’s hopes of a seventh Grand Slam.
She booked her place in the quarter-finals with a dominant 6-0 6-3 triumph over Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Henin’s fellow TNT Sports expert Mats Wilander believes Anisimova is at the top of her game ahead of her clash with Osaka.
"It was an unbelievable match compared to the one at Wimbledon," he added. "Anisimova is such a good ball striker and she won the match without Iga Swiatek playing bad.
"Anisimova has arrived. She had so much promise from when she was 17 or 18 years old but now she has arrived at the top of the game.
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"She hits the ball so smoothly on the backhand side and it’s maybe the best backhand we have in the game right now. She ball strikes so beautifully, plays so aggressively.
"Hits the ball so hard and isn’t afraid of anything. The fact she could dominate Iga Swiatek the way she did from the baseline, it was amazing.
"There was not much Iga could’ve done when Anisimova plays like that. Iga has had an unbelievable return since the French Open, winning Wimbledon, Cincinnati and quarter-finals here is not bad."
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