See below for our expert daily tennis tips and best bets around the courts for Thursday 4th of September 2025 including our latest US Open tips!
The 2024 US Open final combatants meet in this year’s first semi-final at Flushing Meadows, with world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka a warm favourite to continue her dominance of fourth seed Jessica Pegula.
Sabalenka boasts a commanding 7-2 lead in this rivalry, with each of her victories coming in straight sets. She bookended last year’s 7-5 7-5 victory in the US Open final with victories in the deciders of the Cincinnati Masters and March’s Miami Masters.
Pegula’s most recent win over Sabalenka was at the 2023 WTA Finals.
Three-time slam winner Sabalenka has cruised through to her fifth consecutive major semi (13th overall), beating Rebeka Masarova, Polina Kudermetova, Leylah Fernandez and Cristina Bucsa in straight sets, before Marketa Vondrousova pulled out of their quarter-final.
Pegula has rocketed back to form in her native New York after a run of poor form. She has lost no more than six games in disposing of Mayar Sherif, Anna Blinkova, Victoria Azarenka, Ann Li and Barbora Krejcikova.
But none of those opponents are anywhere near Sabalenka’s level at present. While the quarter-final walkover may have upset the defending champ’s rhythm, but the steady and consistent Pegula will need an off day from Sabalenka to find enough opportunities to seize the ascendancy.
Naomi Osaka is just one win away from a remarkable return to the grand slam final stage; it’s the same equation for Amanda Anisimova’s second straight major decider.
The pair have met twice previous – both times at grand slam level – and Anisimova took out both encounters. She ended Osaka’s Australian Open title defence in 2022, coming from a set down, and beat her in the first round of the French Open four months later.
Osaka, the 2018 and ’20 US Open champ, and 2019 and ’21 Australian Open winner, has struggled for consistency since returning from a maternity break early last year. But she’s parlayed a run to the Canadian Masters final – and a return to the top 25 – into a stellar run in New York.
The former world No.1 has dropped just one set, to Daria Kasatkina in the third round, and has otherwise been super impressive in advancing past Greet Mineen, Hailey Baptiste, world No.3 Coco Gauff (a 6-3 6-2 demolition) and 11th seed Karolina Muchova.
Eighth seed Anisimova, meanwhile, avenged her 6-0 6-0 loss to Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final with a stunning 6-4 6-3 upset of the second seed in the quarterfinals.
Like Osaka, Anisimova has dropped just one set so far – also in the third round against Jacqueline Cristian. She’s also accounted for Kim Birrell, Maya Joint and 18th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in straight sets.
It’s a fascinating duel between two of the most powerful hitters in women’s tennis, with Osaka a slight favourite. But the momentum and confidence Anisimova gained from rolling the on-fire Swiatek so comfortably should provide enough of an edge in this blockbuster.