Naomi Osaka says her "dream is coming true" after making it back to the US Open semi-finals for the first time since the birth of her daughter.

Osaka beat Karolina Muchova 6-4 7-6 (7-3) in straight sets to book her place in a fifth major semi-final, and a third at Flushing Meadows. She will face Amanda Anisimova for a place in the showpiece.

The 27-year-old has never failed to win a grand slam after reaching the quarter-final, with all four of her previous triumphs coming on hard courts.

And she is just the fifth player in the Open Era to reach each of her first five women's singles semi-finals at major events on the same surface, along with Rosie Casals, Kerry Reid, Virginia Wade (grass) and Caroline Wozniacki (hard).

"It's my first time in a semi now [since becoming a mother]," Osaka said.

"I was sitting up there watching and hoping I could have the opportunity to play on this court again. This is like my dream is coming true.

"It means so much. I am so surprised I'm not crying.

"There's so much hard work that you guys haven't seen, but I am really grateful to my team and happy to be healthy."

Should Osaka beat Anisimova, she will become the first player to reach a grand slam final after becoming a mother since Victoria Azarenka at the 2020 US Open, when she was beaten in the showpiece by Osaka.

5 - Naomi Osaka is just the fifth player in the Open Era to reach each of her first five Women’s Singles SFs at GS events on the same surface, along with Rosie Casals, Kerry Reid, Virginia Wade (grass) and Caroline Wozniacki (hard). Tough.#USOpen | @usopen @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/BPfOmsAsuD

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) September 4, 2025

However, she has a tough test ahead of her after Anisimova avenged her heavy Wimbledon defeat by beating Iga Swiatek in her quarter-final.

Anisimova was on the wrong end of a double bagel scoreline in the All England Club showpiece but is now the first American to reach women's singles semi-finals on all three surfaces at grand slam events since Serena and Venus Williams (Roland-Garros 2002).

An all-American final at Flushing Meadows is still a possibility, with Jessica Pegula facing Aryna Sabalenka in the other semi-final clash, but Anisimova is simply focused on keeping her run going in New York.

"Playing here is so freaking special, and I've been having the run of my life here," Anisimova told the crowd after the match.

"The first day I got here, I was like 'OK, let's try and get through one round', but this has been such a dream.

"To come back from Wimbledon like that is really special to me, and I feel like I worked so hard to try and turn it around from that, and today proved everything for me, I can do it, so this is really special.

"From the get-go, I was trying to fire myself up. She's [Swiatek] one of the toughest players I've ever played, and I knew I was going to have to dig really deep, and it was such a tough match.

"I know the scoreline wasn't three sets or anything, but it truly was a battle for me."