A new Anisimova, and one step away from making history

Andrés Tomás Rico | 10 Jul 2025 | 17.18

A new Anisimova, on the brink of making history. Photo: Gettyimages

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The story of Amanda Anisimova, with Belinda Bencic's permission, is the story of this Wimbledon 2025, and she is just one step away from becoming one of the feats of the year in the world of sports. The American, who decided to leave tennis due to mental health reasons for a whole year, has returned stronger than ever with an aggressive and dominating tennis that prevailed over the game of a very error-prone Aryna Sabalenka, who could never display her best version in London. This way, the American prevailed 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, after two hours and 38 minutes, in a match marked by a large number of errors from both players.

Under the scorching sun and fitting the importance of the day, Aryna Sabalenka and Amanda Anisimova took to the most important tennis court. This first women's semifinal was a golden opportunity for both, each for different reasons. The Belarusian was just two steps away from claiming the title she craved the most, after a tournament where she was tested in all her matches. While the American was back among the world's best tennis players after a year-long break due to mental health issues. So, both had their reasons to make it to Saturday's big final and both would fight for it.

Under the watchful eye of Björn Borg, a five-time Wimbledon champion, the match started without surprises, with both players holding their serves and a five-minute break due to a medical emergency in the stands because of the harsh heat on Centre Court.

But from that moment on, the real fire arrived, both players loosened up and break points started to come. First Anisimova, who missed two opportunities, and then Sabalenka, who failed to convert any of her three chances. Thus, the services kept happening, but the tension was mounting as they reached the final stretch of the set and either could seize the prize.

The errors started to come

Anisimova created more danger with deep and aggressive returns that bothered the number one player. However, Sabalenka showed her experience and managed to hold her serves more with skill than with playing. But walking on the edge all the time means that you could eventually slip. And that's what happened to the player from Minsk, who with a double fault surrendered her serve and also the first set in favor of the American (6-4).

The equality was evident, but Anisimova seemed more effective on the return. So Sabalenka had to attack more on the return if she didn't want to see her Wimbledon aspirations disappear. But the feelings were not the best; she continued with the same pattern from her previous matches: irritable, with limited alternatives, and relying everything on her instinct.

Anisimova faltered

The American seemed to have everything under control, but she stumbled in the seventh game with three unforced errors in a row and a double fault, giving away the first break to the world number one, who found an unexpected prize even for herself. She didn't miss such an opportunity; the Belarusian took the second set (6-4) where Anisimova lowered her intensity when she had the match where she wanted it.

The American couldn't recover from the slump, giving away her service in the first game of the third set, and everything seemed to be going in favor of the player from Minsk. But she woke up from her slumber and broke back. Neither player felt comfortable, and the tension was getting the best out of both.

However, in this chaotic dominance, Anisimova's best tennis returned. She reconnected with her first serve, the same one that deserted her in the second set, and broke Sabalenka's serve to lead 4-1. Just two games away from her first Grand Slam final.

It was time to show that the new Amanda had come to stay, the same one who didn't hesitate to step away from tennis to find happiness again and return with renewed energies. It seemed that the story was getting complicated again after failing to close the match on her serve, but she demonstrated it on the return, in the last game of the match, to eliminate a Sabalenka who was always playing catch-up, both in this match and throughout the rest of the tournament. The American became the first Wimbledon finalist and is just one step away from having her story written in the tennis history books.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Una nueva Anisimova, y a un paso de hacer historia

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