LONDON (SNP Report): Amanda Anisimova produced the biggest win of her career on Thursday, stunning World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 on Centre Court to reach her first-ever Grand Slam final at Wimbledon. She will now face five-time major champion Iga Swiatek, who cruised past Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0 to book her place in Saturday’s final.
An emotional Anisimova, who returned to the sport after an eight-month mental health break in 2023, called the moment surreal. “This doesn’t feel real right now, honestly. Aryna is such a tough competitor and I was absolutely dying out there. I don’t know how I pulled it out,” said the American, who had lost in the qualifying rounds at Wimbledon just last year.
Anisimova becomes only the second woman in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam final after failing to qualify the previous year. Her resilience and raw emotion captured the imagination of the Centre Court crowd, with many inspired by her public battle with depression. “I was struggling with the lifestyle and stress,” she had shared earlier this season. “I felt it was unfair to keep pushing as if I wasn’t human.”
With this breakthrough run, Anisimova is set to enter the WTA top 10 for the first time in her career and she is now just one match away from capturing her maiden Grand Slam title.
Meanwhile, Swiatek was clinical in her semi-final demolition of Bencic, wrapping up the match in just 71 minutes. The Pole hit 26 winners and allowed Bencic no rhythm, showing her growing comfort on grass, historically her weakest surface.
Swiatek, 24, has now reached her first Wimbledon final and is undefeated in major finals (5-0), including four French Open titles and one US Open crown. Despite losing the World No. 1 spot to Sabalenka last October, she is clearly resurging at the right moment.
English