Fearless Amanda Anisimova topples Aryna Sabalenka to reach Wimbledon final

Amanda Anisimova broke through to her first Wimbledon final on Thursday by knocking out Aryna Sabalenka in three sets. She won 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 on Centre Court, where temperatures touched 30 degrees Celsius.

This win extends Anisimova’s record over Sabalenka to 6-3. She’s beaten the world number one four times now and on every surface. The match kept American fans hoping for another champion after Madison Keys won the Australian Open and Coco Gauff lifted the French Open trophy.

Sabalenka cracks under heat
The Centre Court heat didn’t just test the players. Sabalenka twice handed cold water and an ice pack to fans feeling unwell. Despite her composure off court, her serve faltered under pressure. Anisimova snatched the first set when Sabalenka double-faulted at a crucial moment.

Sabalenka, known for her fierce spirit, hit back hard. She broke for 4-3 in the second set and levelled the match after Anisimova sprayed some loose errors. They traded breaks again in the decider. One long shot from Sabalenka handed Anisimova the break she needed. She served out the match without blinking.

“Struggling with my mental health”
Anisimova’s path to this final hasn’t been smooth. She said last year she had been “struggling with my mental health” for nearly twelve months. In May 2023, she stepped away from the sport for seven months. Back then, she was ranked too low to enter Wimbledon and lost in qualifying to Eva Lys.

She’s come back fast. A WTA 1000 final in Toronto last August got her going. Her first WTA 1000 title in Doha this February confirmed her form. She’s now guaranteed to crack the Top 10 on Monday.

A young generation rising
Anisimova’s story marks a generational shift too. She’s the first player born in the 21st century to reach a Wimbledon final. She joins Bianca Andreescu, Iga Swiatek, Emma Raducanu, Leylah Fernandez, Coco Gauff and Zheng Qinwen as the only players of her generation to reach any major final.

She also joins a small club of players who reached a Grand Slam final a year after falling in qualifying. The only other player to do this in the Open Era is Andreescu, who won the 2019 US Open.

Sabalenka’s defeat ends her run towards history. She replaced Swiatek at number one last October and was hoping to reach her fourth Grand Slam final in a row. The last woman to manage that was Serena Williams ten years ago.

The story’s not over yet. Anisimova now prepares for her biggest match so far. She’ll meet either Swiatek or Belinda Bencic in Saturday’s final.