Photo credit: Vaughn Ridley-Getty
Amanda Anisimova hasn’t exactly been a grass Grim Reaper in the past.
This week, Anisimova continues to turn historic Queen’s Club into a burial ground for Top 10 opponents.
Anisimova edged top-seeded Zheng Qinwen 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 charging into her maiden grass-court final at Queen’s Club in London today.
It is Anisimova’s 12th career Top 10 victory and second in as many days coming after she dispatched 10th-ranked Emma Navarro 6-3, 6-3 in the Friday the 13th quarterfinals.
“I’m so happy to be through,” said Anisimova, who beat Zheng for the first time in three meetings avening a three-set loss at the 2024 US Open. “Every time we played, we had really tough battles. I’m really happy.”
It’s the second final of the season for Anisimova, who knocked off Victoria Azarenka, Paula Badosa, Leylah Fernandez, Marta Kostyuk, Ekaterna Alexandrova and Jelena Ostapenko to capture the WTA 1000 championship in Doha in February.
A year ago, Anisimova was ranked No. 190. Today’s victory vaults Anisimova to a career-high rank of No. 13 in the Live Rankings.
The eighth-seeded Anisimova will face qualifier Tatjana Maria in tomorrow’s final.
Earlier, the 86th-ranked German toppled second-seeded American Madison Keys 6-3, 7-6(3).
Wielding wicked slice to defuse the big-hitting Australian Open champion, Maria won 42 of 47 first-serve points, pumped five aces and did not drop serve in an 89-minute victory.
The 2022 Wimbledon semifinalist Maria is the first German woman to reach a WTA 500-level final since former world No. 1 Angelique Kerber did it at the 2019 Osaka event.
At 37 years, 312 days old, Maria is the oldest woman to reach a WTA 500 final—and the oldest finalist at a Tour-level event since 2020 Auckland when Serena Williams, 38 years, 108 days old, won the title.
It’s Maria’s second straight win over a Grand Slam champion coming one round after she shocked former Wimbledon champion and No. 4-seeded Elena Rybakina.
In their lone prior meeting, Maria beat Anisimova at the 2018 Beijing.
“I’m happy I was able to stay composed and fight me way through,” Anisimova said. “I’m super happy and grateful. I’m really excited to be into my first grass-court final. I love playing in London.
“It’s gonna be a great final.”
Playing proactive and powerful shot combinations, Anisimova was driving Zheng corner to corner as she scored her second straight break to seize a 4-1 lead after just 23 minutes. Anisimova stamped a love hold for a 5-1 lead.
The former French Open semifinalist saved a break point then snapped a serve off the service line for set point. Anisimova served out the 39-opening set winning 10 of 14 points played on her second serve.
Lighting up the lawn lashing down the line drives, Zheng turned the tables after going down a break at 0-2 in the second set.
The Olympic gold-medal champion broke back for 2-all when Anisimova missed successive forehands down the line. That started a streak of five breaks in a row for 4-all.
Zheng threw down a love hold for 5-4 as she reeled off nine straight points to snatch the second set and force a decider.
Serving at 2-3, Anisimova was up 30-love when Zheng stopped play to change both of her Nike shoes after apparently breaking a shoelace. It was the second match in a row where Zheng stopped play on the opponent’s serve to change shoes—she did it vs. Briton Emma Raducanu in the quarterfinals drawing some whistles from British fans—and when play resumed Zheng slid a return winner down the line.
Anisimova, who hit two of her nine double faults in that sixth game, fought off three break points in all holding for 3-all after one of the longest games of the match.
Empowered, Anisimova broke for a 4-3 lead.
Serving for her maiden grass final, Anisimova accelerated through a love hold wrapping up her second straight Top 10 win in two hours, 13 minutes.