Amanda Anisimova Advances to First Grand Slam Final at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON — Amanda Anisimova, the 13th seed, achieved a significant milestone in her professional tennis career by defeating the World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a gripping three-set match, thus securing her place in the final of the prestigious Wimbledon tournament. The match concluded with scores of 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 after 2 hours and 37 minutes of intense play on July 10, 2025.

Anisimova's victory marks her first Grand Slam final appearance, a feat that comes six years after she reached her initial major semifinal at the age of 17 during the 2019 French Open. This latest achievement is particularly notable as it positions Anisimova as the first player born in the 21st century to reach a Wimbledon final. Should Iga Swiatek, the No. 8 seed, emerge victorious in her semifinal against Belinda Bencic, she would join Anisimova in this historic group of young athletes.

The win against Sabalenka, who has been a formidable opponent for Anisimova, is also her sixth career victory against a Top 5 player, and notably her first against a reigning World No. 1. Following this match, Anisimova now boasts a head-to-head record of 6-3 against Sabalenka, having triumphed on various surfaces, including grass.

Anisimova’s performance on grass this season has been impressive, with a record of 12-2, which includes a recent run to the finals at Queen's Club and a quarterfinal appearance in Berlin. Her success is emblematic of her recent resurgence in the sport, especially after a challenging period in 2023 when she took a seven-month mental health break from competitive tennis.

After struggling last year, where she was ranked No. 189 and failed to qualify for Wimbledon, Anisimova’s return to form has been remarkable. She has rapidly ascended into the Top 20 of the WTA rankings, following her first WTA 1000 final in Toronto last August and subsequently capturing her first WTA 1000 title in Doha in February 2025. This performance guarantees her entry into the Top 10 for the first time in her career, which will be officially recognized in the WTA rankings next Monday.

Historically, Anisimova is only the second player in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam final after failing to qualify for the previous year’s tournament, a record previously set by Bianca Andreescu at the 2019 US Open. The considerable gap of six years and 34 days between her first two major semifinals is the fourth longest in the Open Era, highlighting the challenges she has overcome.

In contrast, Aryna Sabalenka’s defeat adds to her woes at Wimbledon; she has now lost in three consecutive semifinal appearances, having previously fallen short against Karolina Pliskova in 2021 and Ons Jabeur in 2023. Despite her 12 career major semifinals, which is the most of any player since Maria Sharapova, Sabalenka has only converted three into titles, raising questions about her performance under pressure in pivotal matches.

As Anisimova prepares for the final, the tennis community eagerly anticipates her next match, which could set the stage for a new chapter in her promising career. The outcome of this tournament may not only affect her personal trajectory but also influence the dynamics within women’s tennis, particularly as younger players like Anisimova continue to rise to the occasion in high-stakes environments.