Amanda Anisimova Shocks World No. 1 Sabalenka to Reach Maiden Grand Slam Final at Wimbledon 2025

London: In a career-defining moment, 23-year-old Amanda Anisimova of the United States shocked World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a tense Wimbledon 2025 semifinal, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to reach her maiden Grand Slam final.

Seeded 13th, Anisimova held her nerve through a two-hour, 36-minute battle on Centre Court, producing fearless tennis against the powerful Belarusian. This marks her first win over a world No. 1 and sixth career victory over a Top 5 opponent.

Her breakthrough makes her the first American woman to reach the Wimbledon final since Serena Williams in 2019, and notably, the first player born in the 2000s to reach the ladies’ final at SW19.

Once hailed as a teenage prodigy, Anisimova’s journey hasn’t been easy. After a dazzling start to her career with a French Open semifinal at age 17, she stepped away from tennis in 2023 for a mental health break. This time last year, she was ranked No. 189 and had failed to qualify for Wimbledon.

Now, after a remarkable resurgence—including a WTA 1000 title in Doha earlier this year—Anisimova is set to break into the Top 10 for the first time when the new WTA rankings are released next week.

Her victory also places her among elite company in terms of resilience. The six-year, 34-day gap between her two Grand Slam semifinal appearances is the fourth-longest in Open Era history.

She will face either Iga Świątek or Belinda Bencic in the final on Saturday, with Świątek aiming to join Anisimova as a fellow 21st-century-born finalist.

From missing the main draw in 2024 to conquering Centre Court in 2025—Amanda Anisimova’s comeback story continues to inspire.