Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. returns to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during their women's singles semi-final match at Wimbledon on Thursday.Kin Cheung/The Associated Press
Shortly after she’d made a French Open semi-final at age 17, Amanda Anisimova signed an eight-figure deal with Nike. Her agent gave interviews talking about how she had to devote more time to social media. People started calling her “the next Maria Sharapova.”
It didn’t work out that way. Anisimova’s results never again reached that early promise. Citing her mental health, she took an extended leave from sport in 2023.
On Thursday – nearly 10 years after she turned pro – the 23-year-old American arrived. Competing in steamy conditions, Anisimova undid the favourite on the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka.
Traditionally, Wimbledon semi-finals have a way of disappointing. This one was an all-timer. Anisimova dominated early. Sabalenka reeled her in the second. But the American overwhelmed her in the third. Anisimova won 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
“To be in the Wimbledon final, I mean, I’m still trying to process it,” Anisimova said hours after her victory. She better process fast.
Anisimova defeats Sabalenka, advances to her first Grand Slam final
Unlike after her frustrated meltdown at the French Open, Sabalenka handled the loss with grace. Upon arriving at her postmatch news conference, she announced, “Are you guys waiting for something? You’re not going to see Roland Garros news conference, so anyone who was waiting for that, you can leave right now.”
The Belarussian may not have won Wimbledon, but she won a lot of new admirers.
That said, she wasn’t best pleased with Anisimova. In the early going, the American had celebrated a point as Sabalenka was still chasing it.
“I mean, that’s a bit early,” Sabalenka said. Having got the wrong end of those with Coco Gauff, she stopped short of starting a vendetta. But she had a point.
Anisimova wisely dodged the situation: “I wasn’t really sure what the [the issue] was, but I can play it back.”
In her elimination from Wimbledon, Aryna Sabalenka was gracious and made great efforts to not have a repeat of her controversial comments following her French Open final loss to Coco Gauff.Kin Cheung/The Associated Press
Sure. Maybe next week.
The theme of this Wimbledon has been upsets. So how great would it have been had Anisimova faced Belinda Bencic in the final? The Swiss gave birth to a daughter 15 months ago.
The former prodigy versus the new mom. That would have been notable.
Instead, Bencic was annihilated by former No. 1 Iga Swiatek in their semi-final, 6-2, 6-0.
It is difficult to describe the level of dominance the Pole exerted in the match. After it was over, the normally ebullient Bencic didn’t leave the court. She fled it.
Playing in her first-ever Wimbledon semi, Iga Swiatek dominated and now has a chance to win a Grand Slam on grass for the first time in her career.Kin Cheung/The Associated Press
“Tennis keeps surprising me,” Swiatek said. “I thought I lived through everything, even though I’m young.”
In her small way, the five-time major winner is also an underdog. She hasn’t won a slam since failing a drug test in August, 2024. She had never gotten beyond the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.
Based on her performance on Thursday, she will be most people’s choice to win on Saturday.
“We’ve never played a match,” Swiatek said, pausing. “I think. But I don’t have a good memory.”
She’s right. She and Anisimova have never met on the WTA tour. This final will represent a watershed for one of them. Either Anisimova delivers a little late on her early promise, or Swiatek returns to the top.