Amanda Anisimova stood on the Wimbledon grass Thursday, having just stunned the World No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka.
Now she faces an even bigger challenge: Iga Świątek in Saturday’s final. For the 23-year-old American, it’s a shot at her first Grand Slam title against a player who’s been chasing her sixth major crown.
What Did Amanda Anisimova Say About Facing Iga Świątek in the Wimbledon Final?
Anisimova looked composed from the start against Aryna Sabalenka, taking the opening set 6-4. However, the World No. 12 saw her momentum dip in the second set. Her first-serve percentage dropped to 54, and she ultimately lost the set 4-6.
In the deciding set, she raced to a 3-1 lead. Despite a strong push from Sabalenka, Anisimova held her nerve to seal the set 6-4 and book her spot in the final. During her post-match press conference on Thursday, Anisimova described Świątek as an inspiration but made it clear she intends to make it a battle and stay focused on the match itself, rather than the stakes involved.
“Iga is such an unbelievable player, and she’s also been an inspiration to me. Her work ethic and all of her achievements have been really inspiring. So I am sure it’ll be an amazing match again. Yeah, getting to compete against an unbelievable player again is gonna be super special. Hopefully, I can bring some high-quality tennis and make it a battle out there. But, just going to go out and enjoy every moment and try to not think about what’s on the line there,” she said.
Following her win over Sabalenka, Anisimova improved her record to 12-2 on grass in 2025. She also improved her head-to-head record to 6-3 against the Belarusian.
Meanwhile, Świątek also contested her first Wimbledon semifinal on Thursday, though her path to the final was far less demanding. The Pole secured an easy 6-2, 6-0 victory against Belinda Bencic to reach her first Wimbledon final. While Anisimova is chasing her first Grand Slam title, Świątek is eyeing her sixth, hoping to end a title drought dating back to her French Open triumph in 2024.
Anisimova Recalls Her Junior History With Świątek Ahead of Upcoming Wimbledon Final
Although Świątek and Anisimova haven’t faced each other on the WTA Tour, they did meet as juniors. Their only encounter came in 2016, when the five-time Major champion defeated Anisimova during Poland’s victory over the United States in the Junior Fed Cup, currently called the Junior Billie Jean King Cup.
Reminiscing about that experience, Anisimova said later during her press conference:
“I used to enjoy those Fed Cup trips a lot, and we had a lot of fun on those trips. But she was playing really well. She was a great junior, and I remember a lot of coaches were saying that she’s going to be a big deal one day, and obviously, they were right. She was playing some great tennis, and I did lose that match unfortunately (smiled). But, it was fun to play in juniors,” she said.
With a place in the final, Świątek and Anisimova are guaranteed 1,300 points toward both the PIF WTA Rankings and the Race to the WTA Finals in Riyadh, as well as £1.52 million in prize money.
