Sports
The ultimate upset: How Anisimova beat Swiatek

NEW YORK — Moments after losing in the Wimbledon final in July, and with tears streaming down her face, Amanda Anisimova was resolute as she spoke to the crowd.
She had just lost 6-0, 6-0 to Iga Swiatek in a devastatingly swift 57 minutes, and the fans at Centre Court seemed enamored by her words as she continued to speak and by her confidence that wouldn’t be diminished despite the lopsided outcome.
“I know I didn’t have enough today, but I’m going to keep putting in the work,” Anisimova said. “And I always believe in myself, so I hope to be back here one day.”
The 24-year-old American isn’t quite back to a major final — not yet, anyway — but she had her chance to avenge the loss to Swiatek on Wednesday in the quarterfinals at the US Open. Much like at the All England Club, she entered the match as the clear underdog, but this time, with the vocal support of the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Anisimova found a way to pull off the upset for a 6-4, 6-3 victory to advance to her first semifinal in New York.
When it was over, just 53 days after her disappointment at Wimbledon, Anisimova initially appeared almost expressionless. Or perhaps she was in shock after she won on her third match point. But after she had exchanged a hug with a stunned Swiatek, a large smile appeared on her face and she put her arms on her head and nodded, before gesturing to her team with her clenched fist over her heart.
“Playing here is so freaking special and I’ve been having the run of my life here,” Anisimova said on the court moments later. “I mean, the first day I got here I was like, ‘OK, let’s try and get through one round.’ But yeah, this has been such a dream, and to come back from Wimbledon like that is really special to me.
“I feel like I worked so hard to try and turn around from that, and I mean, today proved everything for me. I can do it, so yeah. This is really special.”
To call Anisimova’s season resurgent would be an understatement. An exciting junior prospect and the 2017 US Open girls champion, Anisimova burst onto the professional scene with a surprise semifinal appearance at the 2019 French Open as a 17-year-old. The hype and endorsements immediately followed.
But her career was derailed by a number of personal and professional setbacks, including the unexpected death of her father and several injuries. After a difficult start to her 2023 season, Anisimova announced she would be taking an indefinite mental health break as tennis had become “unbearable” for her.
She spent eight months away from the tour, taking time to pursue other interests and, in her words, “reset.” She returned at the start of 2024 and reached the fourth round at the Australian Open, but had largely mixed results in her comeback year.
But 2025 has been completely different. Anisimova won the biggest title of her career at the 1000-level Qatar Open in February. She reached her first grass-court final at Queen’s Club in June — and then followed it with her miraculous run at Wimbledon, including a thrilling three-set victory over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals. She subsequently entered the top 10 for the first time. After her win over Swiatek on Wednesday, she’s expected to rise to a new high of No. 5.
After taking about 30 minutes to cry and mope following the defeat at the All England Club, Anisimova said a phone call with a friend almost immediately after helped her find the humor in the loss. She took some brief time off following Wimbledon to spend time with her young nephews and surf on the beach in Montauk, New York, but returned by the end of the month to play the Canadian Open.
In her two tournaments leading into the US Open, she had just two wins, and had never previously advanced past the third round at the tournament. But she still arrived to the year’s final major brimming with momentum and positivity — and with everything she learned from reaching the Wimbledon final.
“I think just having that experience and experiencing what that final was like definitely gives me some thoughts and certain things that I can bring with me going into this tournament, especially dealing with the stress and the tension of it being, like, a home slam, and there is a little bit of pressure on me,” Anisimova said before the tournament got underway. “I think just the way that the final went, it gave me a better perspective on how I should be handling my nerves.”
With her elevated profile and seeding, Anisimova has played every match thus far on a show court and, despite any extra attention, she has shown incredible composure and mental strength. She’s dropped just one set — against unseeded Jaqueline Cristian in the third round — but has otherwise firmly been in control of every match. She recorded a bagel set against No. 18 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia on Monday in the Round of 16. Through her first five matches, she has 28 aces, the second-most in the tournament, and she’s won 82% of her service games.
On Tuesday night, while mentally preparing for the quarterfinal match from her hotel room, she forced herself to rewatch the Wimbledon final, to take whatever she could from it. It was difficult, but necessary. She noticed she was “slow as hell” and fatigued but already felt she was in a better position this time around due to simply having that previous experience.
On Wednesday, playing in front of a crowd that frequently shouted words of support like, “Come on ‘Manda, you got this babe!” and “We love you, Amanda,” Anisimova was broken in the opening game of the match, just like she was at Wimbledon, and she couldn’t help but briefly panic. “When I wasn’t able to hold in that first game, I was really, like, ‘Okay, here we go,'” she said with a laugh in her news conference. “That was a little stressful.”
But this time, she recovered immediately by breaking Swiatek right back. And, she said, that took some “stress off of my shoulders, for sure.”
After taking the opening set, it initially appeared Swiatek had rediscovered her championship form as she handily took the first two games of the second set.
But Anisimova did not seem deterred, and she tried to fire herself up with positive affirmations and keep moving after every point — something she later admitted was not natural for her. She went on to win six of the next seven games, behind her strong serving, blistering returns and unwavering attitude. She had 23 winners on the day and just 12 unforced errors.
Swiatek said her inconsistent serving day “made the difference” in the match’s outcome. But she also said she wasn’t surprised by the level Anisimova brought.
“I think everybody knows how Amanda can play,” a dejected Swiatek told reporters after the match. “Yeah, she didn’t play well [at] Wimbledon, but it’s not like she’s always going to do the same mistakes or feel the same.
“No, I know that she’s a good player. She can play great tennis. So for me I was ready for a tough match.”
Anisimova later called it the “most meaningful victory” she has ever had.
Now into her third career major semifinal, Anisimova will next take on the winner of Wednesday night’s match between four-time major champion Naomi Osaka and 2023 French Open finalist Karolina Muchova on Thursday night. Anisimova has winning records over both players — she’s beaten Osaka twice and defeated Muchova in their only previous career meeting — but hasn’t faced either since 2022. She called both “incredibly tough opponents” but sounded ready for either possibility on Wednesday when speaking to the media.
On Thursday, just over 24 hours after one of the biggest wins of her career, she will have the chance to reach her second consecutive Slam final. But no matter what happens, she was letting herself feel proud of what she had already achieved this summer — and proven to herself and the world.
“It still feels a bit surreal, for sure,” she said to the packed room of reporters, with a backwards Nike baseball hat on her head. “I mean, I have that belief in myself and that confidence that I’m able to play at the top level, and I’m able to really go head-to-head with these top three and everyone who is in the top 10. I’ve shown that, and I think I was able to prove that to myself time and time again for a long time now.
“It’s really competitive these days, and also the Grand Slams are really tough, so I’m just really pleased to make it this far for the first time.”
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Caps bounce back, keep the Kraken under wraps in a 4-1 win
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Sports
Transfer rumors, news: Liverpool eye Semenyo to replace Salah

Chelsea will make a fresh attempt to sign Spain striker Samu Agehowa, while Liverpool are plotting a move for in-form AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.
Transfers home page | Men’s grades | Women’s grades
TOP STORIES
– Bayern Munich extend Kompany contract to 2029
– Forest hire Dyche as Postecoglou replacement
– Klopp refuses to rule out Liverpool return one day
TRENDING RUMORS
– Mohamed Salah’s poor form has Liverpool considering a January move for Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, according to the iPaper. Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United both scouted the Ghana winger during the last transfer window, but it’s the Reds that are firming as favorites to sign the in-form 25-year-old. The upcoming Africa Cup of Nations may play a big role in whether the mooted £75 million move is made; Salah will lead Egypt at the continental tournament but, with Ghana failing to qualify, Semenyo will be available to play club football throughout the fixture-heavy January period.
– Chelsea are prepared to make an £87m offer to FC Porto for striker Samu Agehowa next summer, according to Record. The Blues had been close to signing the Spain international from Atlético Madrid in the summer of 2024, but the move collapsed and he joined Porto instead. Samu scored 25 goals in his first season in Portugal, and has netted eight goals in nine games so far this term. The 21-year-old has a contract at the Estádio do Dragão until June 2029.
– Stuttgart have set their fee for Angelo Stiller at €50 million with Manchester United among the clubs who have expressed an interest in the midfielder but the 24-year-old’s valuation could still rise, according to Sky Sports Deutschland. While Stiller has a €40m release clause, the Bundesliga club can buy that out and make his transfer fee freely negotiable. Meanwhile, TEAMtalk reports that United are looking to January with their list of options featuring Sporting CP‘s Morten Hjulmand, Crystal Palace‘s Adam Wharton, Brighton & Hove Albion‘s Carlos Baleba, Borussia Dortmund‘s Jobe Bellingham and Porto’s Victor Froholdt. The Red Devils are optimistic that they can reunite coach Ruben Amorim with Hjulmand for £50m despite the 26-year-old’s £70m release clause, with this coming due to Sporting’s relationship with their former manager.
– Sky Sports Deutschland have offered an insight into the domino effect that could happen regarding free agent centre-backs in the summer. A final decision hasn’t been made on David Alaba‘s future but he is likely to leave Real Madrid, while the Saudi Pro League is watching the situation of his teammate Antonio Rüdiger with his future uncertain despite an offer having been tabled for a contract that runs until 2028. Liverpool‘s Ibrahima Konaté could be the replacement if either of them leave, while Marc Guéhi could replace the Frenchman at Anfield but is also wanted by Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Dayot Upamecano could also move despite Bayern wanting to extend his contract to 2030.
– Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo is weighing up a January loan move with Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Manchester City and Brentford all looking at the 20-year-old, according to TEAMtalk. Mainoo remains committed to the Red Devils, but the feeling is that he needs more minutes to aid both his development and ambitions to represent England at the FIFA World Cup. Man United’s lack of depth in midfield has raised questions about whether they will be willing to allow a loan move.
– Barcelona are monitoring Mallorca winger Jan Virgili and could look to re-sign him, as reported by Diario Sport. The 19-year-old left the Blaugrana for €3.5m this summer as he didn’t want to be part of a reserve team any longer, but Barca included a clause that would see them receive a percentage of the funds from his next move and another clause that would allow them to re-sign him. Virgili marked his return from the Under-20 World Cup by providing the assist for Vedat Muriqi‘s equaliser in Mallorca’s win against Sevilla.
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s Sam Tighe looks at how well Samu Agehowa would fit in at Chelsea:
In the summer of 2024, Samu looked all set for a move to Chelsea, following the conclusion of his gold medal-winning campaign with Spain in the Olympics, but the move fell through and João Félix joined instead.
That’s a series of events that the Blues have likely regretted ever since, as Samu has continued to blossom into one of Europe’s top young strikers at FC Porto — while Félix made minimal impact before being jettisoned to Saudi Arabia.
The Spain international is a powerhouse No. 9, able to bully defenders using his huge frame. Look back at his goals catalogue while on loan at Deportivo Alavés and you’ll see opponents literally bouncing off him and hitting the deck. He can back into centre-backs Romelu Lukaku-style, or hit the channels and stretch the pitch.
His time at Porto has given him useful experience of playing in a dominant team setup, as before all of his football had come for lesser sides who played more reactive football. This would aid a transition to a club like Chelsea, who are quickly developing a “type” that they like up front — Samu, Liam Delap and Marc Guiu are all battering ram centre-forwards.
OTHER RUMORS
– AC Milan had a scout at Parma’s goalless draw against Genoa to watch goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. (Nicolò Schira)
– Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Willian Pacho could extend his contract in the coming weeks, with an offer on the table to extend his deal by one year so it lasts until 2030. (Le Parisien)
– Clubs from across Europe are monitoring Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta. (Rudy Galetti)
– Massimiliano Allegri has given his approval for AC Milan to extend Fikayo Tomori‘s contract with initial informal discussions already taking place. (Calciomercato)
– Rodez centre-back Mathis Magnin is being monitored by various Ligue 1 clubs having impressed in Ligue 2. (Rudy Galetti)
– Several European clubs, especially from Italy and England, are monitoring Copenhagen centre-back Gabriel Pereira. (Rudy Galetti)
– Barcelona will not move in the January transfer window unless they suffer injuries. (AS)
– Bologna have turned down a “huge” offer from Saudi Pro League club Al Qadsiah for Riccardo Orsolini, and the Rossoblu are in talks to extend the winger’s contract until 2029 with the option for another year. (Nicolò Schira)
Sports
Howard, top-20 senior in ’26, commits to Duke

Top-20 senior Bryson Howard announced his commitment to Duke on Tuesday, giving Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils their first commitment in the 2026 class.
Bryson Howard, son of former NBA veteran Josh Howard, had a blue-blood recruitment, picking Duke over fellow finalists North Carolina and Kentucky. He took his official visit to Durham, North Carolina, last month, and the Blue Devils maintained their positive momentum from that trip over the last couple of weeks.
“I loved my visit to Duke,” Howard told ESPN. “I spent a lot of time with the coaches and players. We went to Coach Scheyer’s house for dinner, and it felt like home.”
A 6-foot-5 left-handed wing, Howard was one of the biggest risers in the country during the spring and summer while playing for Pro Skills on the Nike EYBL circuit. He averaged 19.7 points and 6.0 rebounds in 21 games, while shooting 46.2% from 3-point range on more than five attempts per game.
Howard went from unranked to No. 28 after the spring and is now No. 20 in the senior class. His shotmaking and upward trajectory should suit Duke.
“When I attended practice, I saw that their style of play fits my game,” he said. “The practice was very positive and full of energy, with a pace that was up and down. Coach Scheyer believes I will thrive in his system.”
Howard excels as an outside shooter with pinpoint accuracy. He has excellent mechanics on his shot, complete with body control, a fluid motion and a high release point. He is equally adept at scoring in catch-and-shoot situations, on the move and off the dribble. When finishing, Howard shows versatility as a reliable lob catcher and fearless driver who absorbs contact and converts at the rim.
Duke has landed the No. 1 recruiting class in each of the last two cycles, with Scheyer eschewing portal-heavy reloads in favor of leaning on talented freshman classes.
After Howard, Duke remains in pursuit of Jordan Smith (No. 2), Cameron Williams (No. 3), Austin Goosby (No. 19) and Maximo Adams (No. 26). Five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. (No. 18) is visiting the Blue Devils’ campus this week, and they hosted Canadian big man Maxime Meyer this past weekend.
They also welcomed elite 2027 prospect Sayon Keita for a visit in the summer, and the FC Barcelona center is a candidate to reclassify to 2026.
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