Amanda Anisimova Shocks at Wimbledon: From Doubt to the Final
A year ago, Amanda Anisimova was in Miami, enjoying time with friends and avoiding the pressures of tennis. Today, the American tennis player has achieved an unexpected feat: advancing to the Wimbledon final, overcoming the world number one, Aryna Sabalenka, in an exciting match. Anisimova’s triumph is a testament to perseverance and resilience. After an eight-month mental break, during which she distanced herself from the sport, the tennis player returned with renewed energy and determination. Many doubted her ability to return to the top, but Anisimova proved them wrong.In the semifinal, played on the hot afternoon of Centre Court, Anisimova, seeded number 13, defeated Sabalenka with scores of 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. The crowd, captivated by the match, applauded the American after two hours and 37 minutes of play. Anisimova herself expressed her disbelief: “If they had told me that I would be in the Wimbledon final, I wouldn’t have believed it”.
It’s a privilege to compete here, and being in the final is indescribable. Now, Anisimova will face Iga Swiatek, five-time Grand Slam champion, in Saturday’s final, with the opportunity to win the first Grand Slam title of her career. Anisimova’s path to this final has not been easy. After a promising start to her junior career, including the US Open junior title in 2017, and reaching the semi-finals of Roland Garros in 2019, she faced a series of personal and professional challenges. The death of her father, a pause due to the pandemic and health problems, including a positive COVID-19 test, hindered her progress. After a period of rest and work with her coach Ricard Cesari, Anisimova returned to the circuit. Despite not having a ranking that would guarantee her a direct place at Wimbledon, she qualified and demonstrated her potential, reaching the quarterfinals at the Citi Open and reaching the final of the Canadian Open. In Wimbledon, Anisimova has shown a dominant game. In the first round, she defeated Yulia Putinseva with a resounding 6-0, 6-0 in 44 minutes. Then, she overcame complicated rounds, including a tight tiebreak in the quarterfinals against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Sabalenka, with a favorable record against Anisimova, was the favorite to reach the final. However, Anisimova managed to impose her game amidst the high temperatures and interruptions due to medical emergencies in the stands. After a disputed first set, Sabalenka reacted in the second, but Anisimova regained control in the decisive set, securing her place in the final. Anisimova’s victory is a milestone for American tennis, becoming the fourth consecutive American woman to reach a Grand Slam final.
