Amanda Anisimova and Aryna Sabalenka will lock horns in the US Open final in what will be the 10th meeting between the two. This comes less than two months after their Wimbledon semifinal, which had a moment of controversy.
Amanda Anisimova and Aryna Sabalenka’s Wimbledon Semifinal Controversy
The Wimbledon semifinal between Anisimova and Sabalenka went on for 2 hours and 37 minutes, with the American winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Anisimova reached her maiden Grand Slam final while Sabalenka suffered her third seifinal defeat at the grass-court Major.
The match heated up in the third set with quite a lot of tense moments. Late in the set, Anisimova won a crucial point when her shot just hit the net cord and dropped over, which Sabalenka had no chance to return. Usually, players gesture a quick apology in such moments, but Anisimova threw her hands up and celebrated, which didn’t sit well with her opponent.
Sabalenka, who was visibly annoyed, looked at Anisimova and asked, “Why didn’t you say sorry?” Later, she told the media during her post-match press conference:
“I just looked at her, and I just, I mean, for sure she did not hear me, but I was like, ‘Don’t you wanna say sorry?’ She just wanted, I guess, badly, to win this match. It’s on her. If she doesn’t feel like saying sorry, like she barely got that point and she didn’t feel like saying sorry for that tricky situation, that’s on her.”
“You don’t want to say sorry?”
Aryna Sabalenka wasn’t thrilled with Amanda Anisimova’s reaction to a contentious point during their #Wimbledon semi-final clash… pic.twitter.com/W368OIUFuJ
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 10, 2025
That was not the only thing that irked Sabalenka. During the second set, there was a moment where Anisimova appeared to celebrate a backhand winner even before the ball had fully passed the Belarusian.
The World No. 1 didn’t mince words when asked about that moment in her post-match press conference.
“I was just trying to chase the ball. Yeah, she was already celebrating it. I was like, ‘That’s a bit too early’. Then she kind of p*ssed me off saying that’s what she does all the time. But I was grateful she actually said that because it actually helped me to keep fighting,” Sabalenka said.
“So, I came back because I got really angry in that moment…Probably in the 3rd set I should’ve remembered and probably it would’ve helped. But it is what it is,” she added.
On the other hand, Anisimova didn’t think she was celebrating early. During her press conference, she said:
“No, I wasn’t celebrating. It was just like a long grunt, I guess. I don’t really know what was the deal there to be honest because I didn’t feel like it was that interfering. I tried to not do it again.”
MORE: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Amanda Anisimova Preview
Sabalenka Doesn’t Have a Good Record Against Anisimova
While Sabalenka is the World No. 1, she does not have a particularly pleasant record against Anisimova, with the American leading their head-to-head 6-3.
After defeating Jessica Pegula in the US Open semifinals, Sabalenka also talked about her game plan for the final against Anisimova, stating:
“I think I have to trust myself, and I have to go after my shots. I felt like in that match at Wimby, I was doubting a lot of my decisions, and that was the main thing that was bringing a lot of unforced errors. And I gave her a lot of opportunities, and of course, she played incredible tennis.”
“I felt like I had my opportunities. I didn’t use them, and I felt like the key for me is going to be to just go out there, fight, but trust my decisions and go after my shots,” she added.
“The moment of this young woman’s life” 👏
Amanda Anisimova completes an extraordinary semi-final to defeat No.1 seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 and book her spot in her first ever #Wimbledon final 💥
Take. A. Bow. ♥️ pic.twitter.com/WexH4VL2k2
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2025
Sabalenka has faced losses against Americans at every Grand Slam so far this year. Apart from her Wimbledon semifinal defeat to Anisimova, the World No. 1 lost to Madison Keys in the Australian Open final while losing to Coco Gauff in the French Open title clash.
