“I really look up to her,” Amanda Anisimova pays tribute to Naomi Osaka after making the National Bank Open final

Amanda Anisimova will play in her first Masters 1000 final at the National Bank Open on Monday (August 12).

“I really look up to her,” Amanda Anisimova pays tribute to Naomi Osaka after making the National Bank Open final

Naomi Osaka (R) and Amanda Anisimova (L) (via X)

Two-time WTA title holder Amanda Anisimova reached her first Masters 1000 final on Sunday (August 11) after beating Emma Navarro 6-3, 2-6, 6-2. She will play the winner between Jessica Pegula and Diana Shnaider.

There will be a lot of people behind Anisimova’s career-defining achievement, but the American has revealed one key person as her idol: four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.

She had a baby, so I'm just so happy to see her accomplish all of that and also come back to the tour, especially at the level that she's playing at, it's honestly very inspiring and just amazing, as well as all the conversations that she starts and opens up. Yeah, I think that we're all very happy to have her in the WTA, and she's like a huge part of the tennis, and, yeah, just being able to be so honest and vulnerable as she is, it's definitely something very special, and I really look up to her on that.
Amanda Anisimova told the reporters

Osaka has been having a tough time recently with her lack of consistency. Moreover, she lost to Elise Mertens in the Round of 32 at the National Bank Open this week. However, the former World No.1 continues to be an inspiration for up-and-coming tennis players.Osaka has made a significant impact on the tennis world, primarily through her advocacy for mental health. She has received a great deal of praise and respect for being open about it.

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Amanda Anisimova reaches first Masters 1000 final

Amanda Anisimova continued her impressive run by defeating Emma Navarro to secure her spot in her first WTA 1000 final in Toronto. The 132-ranked player won the match with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 scoreline against the eighth-seeded Navarro.

Amanda Anisimova
Amanda Anisimova (Source: Imago)

The 22-year-old American, who previously reached the French Open semifinals and the Wimbledon quarterfinals, has been in excellent form. She has now beaten four top-20 players in a row, including Aryna Sabalenka, Anna Kalinskaya, and Daria Kasatkina.

In the final, Anisimova will face either world No. 3 Jessica Pegula or 20-year-old Diana Shnaider. The final match is set for Monday. In other news, Naomi Osaka won her first qualifying match at the Cincinnati Open. She defeated Anna Blinkova 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 and will next play Ashlyn Kreuger for a spot in the main draw.

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