Amanda Anisimova has silenced her critics by reaching her first-ever Grand Slam final at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships.
Having spent years fighting personal tragedy and mental health struggles, the American tennis sensation is now on the threshold of ultimate redemption with just one more match to play.
How Did Personal Tragedy Shape Amanda Anisimova’s Career Path?
Anisimova, currently 23, initially gained international recognition as a teen after making it to the semifinals of the French Open in 2019. Her career was on the upswing until a devastating catastrophe occurred.
Before the 2019 US Open, Anisimova’s father and long-time coach, Konstantin Anisimov, passed away at the age of 52 due to a sudden heart attack. She withdrew from the tournament and found it hard to find her rhythm with increasing emotional and professional stress in the subsequent years.
In her post-match press conference following the semifinal victory against Aryna Sabalenka, Anisimova was asked if making it to the Wimbledon final justifies stopping for a break. “I think it’s different for everyone. It goes to show that it is possible,” she said.
“I think that’s a really special message that I’ve been able to show. When I took my break, a lot of people told me, ‘You would never make it to the top again if you take so much time away from the game.’ That was a little hard to digest. Because I did wanna come back and still achieve a lot and win a Grand Slam one day.”
The weight of her father’s loss led Anisimova to take an indefinite break from tennis in April 2023, mentioning mental health as a priority. Some quarters of the tennis fraternity greeted her absence from the sport with suspicion. When she made a return early in 2024, Anisimova had fallen out of the WTA top 400 rankings.
But increasingly and steadily, she fought her way back. Her breakthrough came in February 2025, when she claimed her first WTA 1000 title in Doha. That victory propelled her back into the top 20.
She continued, “Just me being able to prove that you can get back to the top if you prioritize yourself… that’s been incredibly special to me. It means a lot.” Anisimova will take on five-time Grand Slam champion Świątek in the championship match on Saturday. This will be their first meeting on the WTA Tour.
Amanda Anisimova vs. Iga Swiatek for the Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles Final 👀
Both are looking to win their first career title at Wimbledon 🎾 pic.twitter.com/7VWHVk1MN5
— ESPN (@espn) July 10, 2025
This year at Wimbledon, the American has defeated Yulia Putintseva, Renata Zarazúa, Dalma Gálfi, Linda Nosková, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and most significantly, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, to reach her first Grand Slam final.
MORE: Iga Świątek Supports Amanda Anisimova’s Unpopular Career Decision Ahead of Wimbledon Final
