Photo Source: Camera Sport
Amanda Anisimova was headed to a breezy victory against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in today’s quarterfinal on No.1 Court – then things got complicated.
But the American is no stranger to difficult times, in tennis or in life…
The match itself, we'll get to, but the most telling moment of the afternoon came moments after, when Anisimova carried her nephew onto the court to allow him to celebrate his birthday a few days in advance.
Family has shaped Anisimova as a player and as a person, in good times and bad, and she's embracing those roots as she navigates her rebirth on the WTA Tour over these last few years.
Now to the less important stuff – today's hair-raising victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Determined to prolong her stay at Wimbledon, the Russian caught fire late in the second set. Anisimova led 6-1, 5-2 then served for it at 5-3 – broken.
Next she had a pair of match points with 34-year-old Pavlyuchenkova serving at 4-5, 15-40. No dice there, either.
Suddenly the American's sure thing was looking like a maybe, but Anisimova didn’t bow under the pressure. In the second-set tiebreak, with Pavlyuchenkova holding triple set point, the 23-year-old rallied, saving five set points in total before locking down the hard-fought 6-1 7-6(9) victory in one hour and 39 minutes.
“She started to play some unreal tennis and I just kept fighting,” a relieved Anisimova said on court after the win. “The tiebreak was super stressful and I’m just so happy.
Anisimova is now slated to make her Top 10 debut in next week’s ATP rankings, after a fantastic season that has seen her win 28 matches including her first WTA 1000 title in Doha.
“It’s been an extraordinary year for me,” she said. “So many highs, it has just been such a ride and I’ve been enjoying every step of the way – even times like today when you’re not sure that you are going to cross the finish line, I keep reminding myself to enjoy the moment.”
From Heartbreak to Wisdom
If you zoom out and look at the big picture, the story is even more remarkable. After reaching the French Open semis at 17, Anisimova would soon run into tragedy in her life. Her father and coach Konstantin passed away suddenly in 2019, just before the US Open.
Anisimova soldiered on for a while, but eventually needed to take some time away from tour to find herself again. She stopped playing in May of 2023, and pursued her artistic side, not exactly sure when she'd return. She was decompressing and allowing herself to be young again.
"I've really been struggling with my mental health and burnout since the summer of 2022," Anisimova wrote at the time. “It's become unbearable being at tennis tournaments. At this point, my priority is my mental well-being and taking a break for some time. I've worked as hard as I could to push through it."
She returned to the tour in 2024, and has been blossoming ever since. The time to reflect helped Anisimova recognize who she wanted to be as a player and a person, and she returned to the tour with a sense of purpose that has guided her ever since.
“I think a lot of things have changed for myself,” she said earlier this week at Wimbledon. “My work ethic and I feel like my professionalism has took a whole 360. I prepare myself as best as I can. Everything is centered around my tennis and how I can prepare the best that I can and recover from my matches.
“Maybe a few years ago I wasn't doing it quite to that extent… I think ever since I took my break, I just found this new perspective and this newfound sense of fighting for everything and accepting the challenges that come and embracing them. I think maybe I didn't do it quite like I do it now back then.”
Anisimova will face Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals on Thursday. The American has won five of the pair’s eight previous matchups, with Sabalenka taking three of four after losing her first four matches against Anisimova.
The pair have met four times at the majors, and split them.
Anisimova has won 11 of 13 matches on the grass this year, and improved to 10-3 lifetime at Wimbledon. She has made her affinity for the surface clear with her play, and she’ll have more than a puncher’s chance against the World No.1 on Thursday.
No matter what happens, her performance at Wimbledon, and over the last two seasons in general, is a massive victory.