Amanda Anisimova credited the power of positive thinking as she fought back from a set down to beat Naomi Osaka and reach the US Open final on Thursday. The American World No. 9 clawed her way into a second consecutive Grand Slam showpiece — she had also reached the Wimbledon final in July — with a tense 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 win over four-time major champion Osaka.
“I felt like I wasn’t playing my tennis [early in the match] 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,” said the 24-year-old. “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. I guess I feel like [if] I manifest it or visualise it, then it will happen,” she added.
Anisimova could have been forgiven for feeling the odds were not in her favour after Osaka won the tie-break at the end of the first set. Only once before had Osaka lost at a major after taking the opening set, but Anisimova turned to recent experiences to draw belief that she could plot a way back into the match. “Today, I could have easily said, ‘Oh, she’s playing better than me, and I can’t really do anything.’ [But] I really tried to find a way I could to stay in the match, even though it was extremely tough. I have really worked on myself to really be able to handle those moments and to believe in myself.”
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