Amanda Anisimova sealed a gritty and sensational victory over World No. 1 Iga Świątek to punch her ticket to the semifinals of the WTA Finals. The American made a strong comeback despite falling in the first-set tiebreak. With the win, she joins Elena Rybakina as the two qualifiers advancing from the Serena Williams Group.
While Anisimova’s resilience played a significant role in her victory, her mother, Olga Anisimova’s timely words of encouragement — emphasizing a key strength — reinforced her belief before stepping on court.
Amanda Anisimova Recalls How Her Mom Motivated Her Ahead of the WTA Finals Win Over Iga Świątek
Saving four break points in the opening stages gave Świątek the composure she needed, while Anisimova grew visibly irritated by missed chances. The contrast became starker in the tiebreak as the six-time Major winner held her nerve, securing the set 7-6(3) on her second set point.
Świątek, meanwhile, couldn’t sustain her rhythm in the second set and squandered three early break-point chances. With momentum slipping, the set stayed on serve until Anisimova finally broke through. The American closed it out 6-4 to push the contest into a deciding set.
Anisimova took complete command in the decider, refusing to give the six-time Major champion a look-in as she won it 6-2 and sealed her place in the semifinals on her debut WTA Finals appearance.
During her post-match interview, Anisimova revealed that her ability to flip three-set battles is something her mother had reminded her of before the match, a statistic that fueled her belief. She acknowledged the challenge Świątek posed but emphasized that she embraced the fight and ultimately found a way through.
“My mom keeps telling me, ‘You have won so many three-set matches this year. You are so strong, you can do it.’ So I was actually thinking about that, because when you are playing so many matches, you don’t even realize the stats. Especially against Iga today was so tough, but I think I was just honestly enjoying it and knew it was going to be a battle, so I just told myself to enjoy the challenge. And I think I did that today,” she said.
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“My mom keeps telling me ‘you’ve won so many 3 set matches this year. You’re so strong. You can do it.’ 🥹 So I was actually thinking about that. Against Iga today it was so so tough.”
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) November 5, 2025
Anisimova was later asked what sparked her turnaround and made her game increasingly dangerous as the match wore on, and she responded:
“I think I was just going for my game more today as opposed to the previous days, because I know that the stakes are so high, playing the best in the world. And I think I was holding back a little bit in my last few matches, and today I was just telling myself to go for it and to go all out, especially against Iga. It was going to be intense, so I just gave it my best shot.”
Anisimova said she was thrilled and almost overwhelmed to reach the semifinals on her WTA Finals debut. She thanked the crowd for their incredible support throughout the match, admitting their energy helped her push through.
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“I am so excited. This is surreal, especially for my first time. playing here. And thank you guys for the support today. You guys were amazing, and I think you really carried me through this whole match. So thank you to my supporters. And you better come to my next one,” she added.
The battle stretched to 2 hours and 36 minutes, with Anisimova edging the points tally 107–103. Notably, it marked the first time in Świątek’s career that she dropped consecutive matches after claiming the opening set. While the Pole now shifts focus to the upcoming season, Anisimova’s campaign continues, and her sights are firmly set on capturing a maiden WTA Finals crown.
