Amanda Anisimova has sealed her spot in the top 10 of the PIF WTA rankings by progressing to the semifinals of the ongoing Wimbledon Championships. The 23-year-old’s scintillating performances this week have drawn high praise from a veteran coach associated with some of the sport’s biggest names.
What Serena and Venus Williams’ Former Coach Has Predicted About Amanda Anisimova’s Prospects at Wimbledon
Rick Macci, who guided Venus and Serena Williams to greatness, made a bold prediction on Anisimova heading into her semifinal showdown with World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
“Anisimova has always been a great pure ball striker,” Macci, 70, wrote on X, where he regularly breaks down the game’s biggest moments. The veteran coach didn’t stop there. “Her firepower is clean and some of the best we have seen.”
Macci has backed Anisimova to win her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon. “If she stays calm and has fun she could win Grand Slam number one,” wrote the veteran coach.
Anisimova has always been a great pure ball striker. Her firepower is clean and some of the best we have seen. If she stays calm and has fun she could win Grand Slam number one. @amandaanisimova
— Rick Macci (@RickMacci) July 9, 2025
The seven-time USPTA national coach of the year has trained multiple world No. 1 players, including Andy Roddick, Jennifer Capriati, Maria Sharapova, and the Williams sisters. His tennis analysis carries the credibility that comes from decades of developing champions.
Anisimova has been on the ascent ever since she returned to tennis following a seven-month break in 2023. She took a sabbatical from the sport in May 2023 due to mental health concerns and burnout, causing her to tumble out of the top 400 in rankings.
Since returning to the tour, Anisimova has steadily climbed back up the rankings through consistent performances. Earlier in 2025, she won her first WTA 1000 tournament in Qatar, defeating Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko in the final. The victory marked her third career title and first since 2022.
Anisimova delivered some of her finest tennis of the tournament to defeat veteran Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 7-6 (9) to reach her first Wimbledon semifinal.
The semifinal matchup against Sabalenka presents both opportunity and challenge. Anisimova actually leads their head-to-head record 5-3, giving her a psychological edge. However, Sabalenka won their most recent encounter in straight sets during the fourth round of this year’s French Open. The Belarusian advanced to the semifinals by beating Germany’s Laura Siegemund in a hard-fought quarterfinal.
How Did Amanda Anisimova’s Nephew Become the Star of Her Interview?
Sometimes, the best moments happen off the court. Anisimova created a viral moment during her post-match interview by bringing along a special guest, her nephew Jackson.
The interviewer, clearly caught off guard by the young visitor, asked, “Amanda, who have we got here?” Anisimova’s response melted hearts everywhere: “This is my nephew Jackson. He flew in this morning. It’s his birthday on Thursday.”
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The moment got even sweeter when Anisimova asked Jackson how old he would be on Thursday. The little boy held up four fingers, completing a scene with tennis fans worldwide smiling.
