Auger-Aliassime makes Flushing Meadows semis, Anisimova upsets Swiatek

NEW YORK (AP):

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME got past Alex de Minaur, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5, 7-6 (4), at the US Open across four hours and 10 minutes yesterday to reach his second Grand Slam semi-final – and second at Flushing Meadows.

The No. 25-seeded Auger-Aliassime’s only other trip to the final four at a Major came in New York in 2021 at age 21.

“Four years ago. It feels like more,” said Auger-Aliassime, who advanced back then when Carlos Alcaraz stopped playing in the quarter-finals with an injured leg muscle. “It was a tough couple of years.”

Auger-Aliassime, who is Canadian, will meet No. 1 Jannik Sinner or No. 10 Lorenzo Musetti on Friday for a berth in the championship match. No. 2 Alcaraz faces No. 7 Novak Djokovic in the other semi-final.

“It’s not over. There’s still some tennis to play and the biggest challenges are yet to come,” Auger-Aliassime said. “That’s what I live for. That’s what I train for.”

He hit 22 aces and finished with a total of 51 winners to the 29 for de Minaur, who dropped to 0-6 for his career in Grand Slam quarter-finals.

Auger-Aliassime was one point from trailing two sets to none when de Minaur led 6-5 in the second-set tiebreaker. But Auger-Aliassime erased that set point with a 120 mph ace. That began a run in which he grabbed four of five points to even the contest at a set apiece.

“Just a lot of nerves today, during the whole match. It wasn’t pretty at all times,” Auger-Aliassime said during his on-court interview in Arthur Ashe Stadium. “I was willing to dig really deep and do everything I can to stand here, right now.”

This is the first time Auger-Aliassime has eliminated three seeded players during a single Major, adding this victory over No. 8 de Minaur to wins against No. 3 Alexander Zverev in the third round and No. 15 Andrey Rublev in the fourth.

What else happened at the US Open on Wednesday?

Amanda Anisimova upset Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-3 in the quarter-finals, less than two months after losing to the six-time Grand Slam champion in the Wimbledon final by a 6-0, 6-0 score.

The No. 8-seeded Anisimova reached her third Major semi-final and first at Flushing Meadows.

“To come back from Wimbledon like that is really special to me,” said Anisimova, a 24-year-old who was born in New Jersey and grew up in Florida. “I feel like I worked so hard to try and turn around from that. ... Today is really special.”