Amanda Anisimova, ranked World No. 12, caused an upset by defeating top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka with a score of 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the Wimbledon women’s singles semifinals. This victory secures her spot in her first-ever Grand Slam final. The match faced delays in the first set due to Centre Court fans falling ill, but both players battled through the heat in a match lasting two hours and 37 minutes.
The 23-year-old American will now await the winner of the other semifinal between No. 4 Iga Swiatek and No. 35 Belinda Bencic on Saturday. The last American woman to win Wimbledon was Serena Williams in 2016. Anisimova expressed her disbelief, stating, “This doesn’t feel real right now. I don’t know how I pulled it out.”
Sabalenka’s loss marked her absence from a third consecutive Grand Slam final, being defeated by an American for the third time this year. Anisimova, the sole remaining American female in the draw, faced her first break of the match in the seventh game of the second set. However, she bounced back, winning the final three games of the set to take control.
Anisimova’s victory will elevate her to at least a career-high No. 7 in the upcoming WTA rankings, while Sabalenka, despite the defeat, will retain her No. 1 ranking for a 39th consecutive week. Prior to this Wimbledon, Anisimova’s best Grand Slam performance was reaching the French Open semifinals in 2019 at the age of 17, where she upset defending champion Simona Halep.
