Amanda Anisimova has shocked the tennis world by upsetting Aryna Sabalenka in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
The American was simply superb against the world number one, maintaining an ice-cool demeanour to close out the match with a stunning forehand cross-court winner.
Anisimova was down a break in the final set, before roaring back to win the contest, 6-4 4-6 6-4.
The world number 12 will now face either five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek or Olympic Gold Medallist Belinda Bencic – who was ranked 489 in the world at the start of 2025 – in her maiden Grand Slam final at Wimbledon.
By beating Sabalenka, Anisimova joined one other WTA player on an exclusive list.
Amanda Anisimova makes history by defeating Aryna Sabalenka
By beating Sabalenka, Anisimova achieved something that only one other WTA player has achieved in the Open Era
As per OptaAce, Amanda Anisimova is only the second player in the Open Era to reach a Women’s Singles final at a Grand Slam after losing in qualifying at the previous year’s event.
The other player was Bianca Andreescu, who won the 2019 US Open after losing in qualifying in 2018. Remarkably, Andreescu lost in the qualifying of this year’s Wimbledon event.
Anisimova has taken advantage of seeds tumbling out of the competition at Wimbledon, making her way through the draw with little fuss.
The achievement marks a landmark occasion in the 23-year-old’s career, after she took a career break earlier in her career to focus on her mental health and prevent further ‘burnout.’
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live before her match with Sabalenka, the American said: “I learned a lot about myself, my interests off the court and just taking some time to breathe and live a normal life for a bit.
“What I’ve learned is to listen honestly to yourself, to your intuition and what your body is telling you.”
Who did Amanda Anisimova lose to in 2024 Wimbledon qualifying?
Despite winning her first two rounds of qualifying at the 2024 edition of Wimbledon, the now-Wimbledon finalist was stopped short before the main draw.
Anisimova, who made the 2019 French Open semi-finals as a 17-year-old, lost to Germany’s Eva Lys, 6-4 3-6 4-6.
The 23-year-old was ranked 359 in the world at the end of 2023, before reaching 36 in the world at the end of 2024.
After achieving her career high of number 12 in the world, the American is poised to break the top 10 following her semi-final victory and could rise towards the top five if she were to win the Venus Rosewater dish.
