Sabalenka vs Anisimova

Amanda Anisimova achieved a significant upset by defeating second seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-2 to reach the semifinals of the National Bank Open in Toronto, marking her first victory over a top-10 player in nearly two years. Anisimova, who took a mental-health break from tennis last year, executed a different game plan compared to their previous encounters, improving her record against Sabalenka to 5-2. Sabalenka struggled with eight double faults amid windy conditions, and this defeat followed her recent withdrawals from Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics due to injury. Anisimova, now set to face eighth-seeded Emma Navarro in the semifinals, is aiming for her first WTA final since winning in Melbourne in January 2022. This tournament has seen an impressive showing from U.S. players, with five reaching the quarterfinals, the most in a WTA 1000 event since 2001. The competition continues to highlight the evolving dynamics of women's tennis, with younger players making significant strides.