The biggest unresolved question in the women's singles semifinals: Will Anisimova become the second biggest spoiler?

After Vondrousova eliminated Rybakina and then withdrew, becoming the first major spoiler in the US Open women’s singles, will someone like her appear again? The American Anisimova has unexpectedly been singled out.

The sudden focus on Anisimova as the most concerning player now is linked to the latest betting odds, fueling fears she might repeat Vondrousova’s path!

With the elimination of Czech player Muchova, the women’s singles semifinalists at this US Open are now officially set: Sabalenka, Pegula, Anisimova, and Naomi Osaka.

Following this, the bookmakers released fresh, hot odds, sparking heated debate about whether Anisimova might become the second biggest spoiler in the US Open women’s singles.

According to the latest odds, Sabalenka in the top half is at 1 to 1.3, while Pegula stands at 1 to 3.5.

The stark contrast in odds offered by bookmakers suggests that unless something unexpected happens, the rematch of last year’s US Open women’s final is likely to end with Sabalenka advancing to the final.

For the world number one, the biggest challenge will be whether she can withstand the distractions from the American home crowd and maintain her form and consistency. If Sabalenka manages that, despite Pegula’s strong desire for revenge, the clear skill gap makes it unlikely the American can claim a sweet home victory over the Belarusian.

Of course, unless Vondrousova’s withdrawal allowed Sabalenka an easy path to the semifinals and during that time her form suddenly drops, the situation would be different.

Pegula is not favored, and neither is her compatriot Anisimova!

Recall that after the American swept Swiatek in straight sets in the quarterfinals, eliminating the tournament’s second seed in a major upset, some discussions even named Anisimova as one of the top contenders for the title, boldly predicting her chances were on par with Sabalenka’s.

However, the odds set by bookmakers are likely to disappoint Anisimova’s supporters.

The American’s odds stand at 1 to 2.1, while her opponent Naomi Osaka is at 1 to 1.73, indicating Anisimova is not favored. This essentially signals that she might become the second biggest spoiler in this US Open women’s singles, working hard only to pave the way for the Japanese player’s success.

As the public debates why Anisimova is suddenly not favored by bookmakers, two main reasons are believed to be behind this.

Naomi Osaka has returned to the US Open semifinals after several years, and judging by her performance, her form is improving. Moreover, she has maintained a remarkable record at the US Open: reaching the semifinals always leads to winning the title.

Now at this level, Osaka openly discussed this pattern in a post-match interview, boldly expressing her ambition. This shows she will give her all against Anisimova to keep this streak alive and loudly declare her comeback.

Additionally, when talking about the secret to her winning streak, besides personal performance and effort, Osaka mentioned an interesting factor: her "purple aura" outfit.

The Japanese player admitted that although she won her first-round match wearing a red rose-colored outfit, it didn’t make her feel as good as the current purple one. She humorously credited her run to the semifinals partly to the mysterious power of the purple outfit. When asked why she believed this, Osaka said, “You can call it superstition, but I believe it.”

Another reason speculated for Anisimova being unfavored is the worry that she might repeat what happened after beating Sabalenka at Wimbledon, struggling to maintain good form against Osaka.

When the American reached the Wimbledon final by defeating the world number one, many fans and netizens were as optimistic as they are now after her win over Swiatek. Yet in the final, Anisimova suddenly lost all form, which is considered the second main reason bookmakers are skeptical about her.

Of course, judging from the current odds, it is premature to conclude Anisimova will become the second biggest spoiler, since home advantage may help the American defy the odds.

Although Osaka’s current form and confidence are strong and she is fully prepared to make a big impact at this year’s US Open, considering the Canadian home crowd pressure she faced in Montreal against Mbolli, the pressure from the American crowd at this critical moment in pursuit of her fifth Grand Slam final will be a significant challenge. The final outcome depends on whether the Japanese player can withstand it.

Currently, the latest semifinal schedule for the US Open women’s singles is out: Sabalenka and Pegula will play at 7 a.m. Beijing time on September 5, followed by Anisimova and Osaka starting around 9 a.m. After these two key matches, it will soon be clear whether the two Americans will defy the bookmakers’ odds or if Anisimova will once again become the biggest spoiler!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonlight River’s Starry Sky)