US OPEN

September 5, 2025

Amanda Anisimova

Press Conference

A. ANISIMOVA/N. Osaka

6-7, 7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. Tremendous victory. Questions.

Q. Amanda, I think maybe one of the biggest assets tonight was you won two-thirds of second-serve return points, and you are leading the tournament by far in second-serve return winners. You had six tonight. What's your thought process and your approach when you are seeing the second serve the way you are seeing the ball right now?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I didn't know that statistic. I feel like I'm not really trying to go for winners. I'm trying to be aggressive.

But, yeah, I mean, I try to use that to my advantage. That's always been a strength of mine. It's good to know that I'm doing well in that. Yeah, I mean, the most important thing is to also play the point.

Q. Well done, Amanda. Can you just sort of talk us through the emotional roller coaster of both the match and then sort of, like, post-match, what it felt like go through that, and then what it felt like to escape from that?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, it was really tough match. Most of the time I thought that it's going to slip away from me, and I'm not going to make it into the final. At some points I was trying to accept that, as tough as that was.

Yeah, and in the later moments of the second set I was trying to remind myself what was on the line and the opportunity I have.

Yeah, I stepped onto the court, and I felt like I wasn't playing my tennis because I was nervous, and I was letting the stress get to me a little bit, but then I tried to dig deep and find my game. I feel like throughout the match I was able to find it more and more, and yeah, the most important thing was that I kept fighting.

Then, yeah, obviously after the match, I mean, I'm happy and I'm relieved. Yeah, I want to go recover to get ready for the final (smiling).

Q. When you're feeling that stress you just described, are there certain things you tell yourself or try to do to get that out of your head and focus on playing your best tennis?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I just keep telling myself that I can do it, and I believe in myself. I keep saying that over and over again, not just in the match, but the whole day (smiling).

But I really try and tell my brain, or I guess I feel like manifest it or visualize it, then it will happen. Yeah, I just kept going over and over with those, like, affirmations.

Yeah, I just try and, like, stay upbeat and positive. Yeah, of course, today was a stressful match. There was kind of emotions all over the place.

Q. Naomi, she said that she couldn't read your pattern. Is that because, like, you are following your instinct or you have, like, a specific plan against her?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: No, I mean, I feel like today I was playing the way I would normally play. Of course, we're going to play very fast tennis, because she also hits the ball really hard, so it's just really back and forth.

But it was nothing really out of the ordinary I did today. I feel like all of our matches have been really tough battles, and every single time we have played, the level has been really high.

Q. You spoke the other day about how proud you were of what you did in coming back from Wimbledon. As you prepare for this match against Aryna, what are your thoughts about being at this stage and this next challenge?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I'm super excited to be in the US Open final. It is really special. I'm just going to try and do all the right things, really prepare, you know, to be in the best possible mindset and physically.

But, yeah, I'm really looking forward to it, and I think it's a great opportunity.

Q. And specifically about Aryna?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, it's the No. 1 player in the world, and she's playing amazing tennis. It's going to be a really tough match and a battle. Yeah, I'm excited. Every single time we have played, it's been great.

Q. Do you think you'll do anything differently in preparation for this final based on the last final, like anything you learned from that?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I feel like the last few weeks it's been a bit of a different feeling. I feel like when I was at Wimbledon, every single match was kind of like a surprise to me. I was, like, shocked with every match that I won.

But here it feels more I believe in myself, and I'm able to do it, kind of. So I think that's been the shift for me, at least here at the US Open.

Yeah, I mean, I'm gonna go about it like it's been every other day. Obviously I'm excited, but I'm kind of shutting off all the noise around me and deleting everything from my phone and to just really focus. Yeah, like, zone in on my opportunity and do everything that I can to be ready.

Q. You played Aryna a bunch of times in your careers. Are there any of those matches that stand out to you particularly? Australia, like, six years ago was one of them.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, we've had very, very tough matches. A lot of them have actually been at Grand Slams, too, especially early on in my career. But I think the standout one was probably Wimbledon. It was really a seesaw match, which is almost always the case when I play her.

Yeah, I think that was the most special one for me.

Q. When you are playing someone like Aryna, who is so open with her emotions and everything like that, do you have to try to not process what's happening across the net from you and stay within yourself, or do you let yourself get amped up when you see her get frustrated? How do you handle an opponent like that?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: No, I don't really care what my opponent is doing. I wouldn't say she's also overly emotional. I feel like she's pretty normal.

But, yeah, she's a huge fighter. When I play her, I'm really focused on myself, not really looking at what she's doing, like, the whole time. But, yeah, it's insignificant to me what she does.

Q. You talked on court about dreaming as a kid of playing in the US Open final. What are some of your earliest memories of watching this tournament? Was there an opponent you dreamed about playing or a specific outcome or moment you dreamed of?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: No, I mean, the only thing I ever envision is just me winning the tournament (smiling). I feel like I can only really visualize myself and being able to lift the trophy, and that's always been kind of the vision I have had.

Q. What do you think it says about you that you have been able to come back after Wimbledon and at the next opportunity give yourself a Grand Slam final?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I think it just shows that I have worked really hard, especially on my mental game and not giving up. Like today, I could have easily said, oh, she's playing better than me, and I can't really do anything. I really tried to find a way any way I could to stay in the match, even though it was extremely tough, and she was playing really great tennis.

Yeah, I think I have really worked on myself to really be able to handle those moments and to believe in myself, even when it feels like what is there to believe in, in a way, like, when you're not playing that well. Yeah, I think I have really done a better job of that, and especially since the Wimbledon final. I think I have really shifted with my attitude, as well.