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Sequels seldom match enthralling originals.
Unless Amanda Anisimova is directing the powerfully inspirational plot line.
Disarming the world No. 1 with sizzling drives, Anisimova toppled Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to hit her way into the Wimbledon final.
“This doesn’t feel real right now,” a smiling Anisimova said in her on-court interview. “Honestly, Aryna is such a tough competitor. I was dying out there.
“I don’t know how I pulled it out. She’s such a tough competitor. She’s an inspiration to me and so many others. We’ve had so many tough battles to come out on top today and to be in the finals of Wimbledon is so incredibly special.
“I know she’s No. 1 but a lot of people were cheering for me so I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone.”
Six years after a 17-year-old Anisimova reached the Roland Garros semifinal and pushed Ash Barty to three sets, she made history at SW19.
The 23-year-old Anisimova is the youngest American woman since legendary Serena Williams in 2004 to reach the Wimbledon final. Anisimova extended an American major streak following Jessica Pegula (US Open), Madison Keys (Australian Open) and Coco Gauff (Roland Garros) as the fourth U.S. finalist in the last four majors.
On Saturday, Anisimova aims to join Keys and Gauff as the third American Grand Slam champion this season against either former No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
Former Wimbledon girls' champion Swiatek crushed 2021 Olympic gold-medal champion Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0 in today's second semifinal.
Playing for her first title since she swept Jasmine Paolini in the 2024 Roland Garros final, Swiatek said she expects fast, flat drives from Anisimova.
"I don’t think I we played on the WTA Tour, but we played in juniors," Swiatek said of Anisimova. "She can play amazing tennis. She likes flat surfaces she has a flat game and plays fast so I’ll have to be ready for fast shots.
"I’m just going to try to focus on myself."
Today's first semifinal is branded an upset, but the truth is Anisimova has had Sabalenka’s number scoring her sixth win in nine meetings. Anisimova fought off 11 of 14 break points and belted her bold backhand crosscourt and down the line to mute the screaming Sabalenka’s charge.
Down a break in the deciding set today, Anisimova commanded the center of the court and blasted through four games in a row. Anisimova did not press the panic button when the US Open champion saved three match points.
Undaunted, Anisimova ripped a crosscourt forehand winner to close a rollercoaster ride of a match in two hours, 37 minutes.
It is Sabalenka’s third straight Wimbledon semifinal loss.
Cearly, this one will sting, but make no mistake: Anisimova won this match more than Sabalenka lost it.
"I mean, losing sucks, you know? You always feel like you want to die, you don't want to exist anymore, and this is the end of your life," Sabalenka said afterward. "But then you sit there a little bit, and you think about what you could have done differently on the match. I mean, you see stuff where you wasn't at your best in the match. You see that the other player perform much better. You kind of, like, can see things better."
This triumph continues a captivating comeback for the woman who was born in Bruce Springsteen’s hometown, Freehold, New Jersey.
It’s a major leap forward in her journey back after taking a six-month break from tennis to focus on mental health. Anisimova, who began playing at the age of 3, said tennis had become “unbearable” for her after experiencing burn-out since the summer of 2022.
“I wasn't really feeling great in October of 2022 I think,” Anisimova said. “So it was quite a while. It took a long time for me to make that decision. Obviously it's a big decision to step away from the game I think at any point.
“It doesn't matter if it's in the middle of the season or the preseason because we really never get time off. Yeah, it just didn't seem like I would be able to push through it because I just wasn't enjoying it, and I was just, like, I just need a break from all of this. I was lucky that I was able to do that. So, yeah, I think it was very helpful for me, but it did take a long time to actually make that decision, yeah.”
Stepping away from the sport allowed Anisimova to spend time with her family and friends, take art classes and express her creativity through painting and volunteer at an animal shelter.
Anisimova has returned revitalized and thanked her family, who stood saluting her with a standing ovation in the support box, for supporting her throughout the comeback journey.
A year ago, Anisimova arrived at SW19 ranked No. 189 and lost to Eva Lys, 6-4, in the third set in her final qualifying match. This stirring comeback has surprised Anisimova herself.
“To be honest if you told me I’d be in the final of Wimbledon I would not believe you,” Anisimova said. “It’s been a year of turnaround. To be in this spot—it’s not easy.
“So many people dream of competing on this incredible court. It’s such a privilege to be here to be in the final it’s indescribable honestly.”
Drama spiked midway through the opening set.
Trying to change the pace, Sabalenka slid a slice forehand down the line that Anisimova met with a crackling crosscourt backhand strike for double break point in the sixth game.
The American netted a return then missed a forehand down the line, dropping to her knees in disgust at lost opportunity. Then a fan in the Centre Court crowd fell ill, apparently due to the blistering heat, prompting a delay of about six minutes.
When play resumed Sabalenka surged through seven straight points holding for 3-all and gaining triple break point.
The 13th-seeded Anisimova met the moment with aggression. Anisimova denied the second break point with a wide serve and bold backhand winner down the line. Anisimova dodged a fourth break point when Sabalenka smothered a forehand return into net as the American earned a hard-fought hold for 4-3.
Finding her groove on serve, Anisimova fought off a return deep down the middle with a diagonal backhand winner holding for 5-4.
After that hold, another fan suffered heat-related illness. Sabalenka carried a water bottle over to help the fallen fan.
Then Anisimova tightened the screws on Sabalenka’s serve during a six-minute, six-deuce game.
Sabalenka saved a set point with a biting body serve causing the American to frame a forehand return.
The world No. 1 is one of the few elite players who does not play with an overgrip on her Wilson Blade. Sweat was streaming off her prompting Sabalenka to wipe her hand on her skirt and even on the ball at times.
A suffocating Anisimova rocketed a crackling crosscourt backhand strike to set up a forehand winner. Lashing another laser backhand brought Anisimova a second set point.
Pausing to wipe the sweat off her hand again, Sabalenka double-faulted deep to end the 56-minute opening set.
Anisimova served 67 percent, won 18 of 22 first-serve points and denied all four break points she faced, snatching a one-set lead. Sabalenka left the court to regroup after the first set.
Midway through the second set, Anisimova built a 30-0 lead only only to tighten up with a flurry of errors. Anisimova, who had been dominant on serve, double faulted into the tape to gift the break and a 4-3 lead to her opponent.
Seeing that lapse, Sabalenka stamped a strong serve stretching her second-set lead to 5-3.
Struggling to land first serves with the frequency she did in the first set, Anisimova was under the fun in the ninth game.
In a grueling game, Sabalenka earned four set points in that game, but missed a couple of makeable returns. Anisimova held for 4-5, but was staggered in that game.
The US Open champion targeted the American’s forehand return drawing successive errors to convert her fifth set point to take the second set after one hour, 41 minutes.
Wrapping an ice towel around her neck, Anisimova left the court for a bathroom break.
Though she dropped serve to start the decider, Anisimova was belting her backhand with menace and making the world No. 1 move.
Anisimova immediately broke back to level. In the fourth game of the final set, Sabalenka was up quickly to a forehand sitter, but wailed a wild shot long to drop serve again.
The No. 13-seeded Anisimova showed grit saving two break points to hold for 4-1.
Down 15-30 in the seventh game, Anisimova, typically averse to net, hit a pair of fine volleys then cracked a forehand that crashed into the tape and dropped over net holding for 5-2.
Three-time major champion Sabalenka saved a match point and broke back for 4-5.
It looked like the Belarusian, who battled back from a break down in the decider to beat Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals, was poised for a comeback.
Anisimova pressed mute racing to a love-40 triple match point lead. Though Sabalenka saved two more match points, Anisimova calmly ripped that final forehand winner to close the biggest win of her career with a wide smile.
Ultimately, Anisimova played the pivotal points with bold aggression. Anisimova saved 11 of 14 break points and won 24 of 40 points played on her second serve (60 percent).
Pointing to her inability to convert more of those break points, Sabalenka said her return game cost her the match, while crediting Anisimova for being "more brave" when it mattered most.
"I have to say that I did my best. I gave everything I had at the moment," Sabalenka said. "Okay, return game didn't work well. I still came back. I still had chances. Then the last game I didn't serve. I mean, I did serve, but she just smashed my serves.
"I have to say that she was more brave today. Maybe when I was just, like, trying to stay in the point, she was, like, going for all — she was playing more aggressive. Sometimes I was just stopping my arms, making like mistakes which I shouldn't be making.
"I think I should have been a little bit more brave today."
The 23-year-old Anisimova, Tennis Now's pre-tournament Wimbledon Dark Horse pick, and Tennis Now's preseason pick to crack the Top 10 in 2025, has now done both rising to a career-high ranking of No. 7 in the live rankings. She gave her nephew, Jackson, the ultimate birthday gift on his fourth birthday—and gave fellow players and fans everywhere inspiration that if you’re struggling with mental health there is hope, light life and even joy after suffering deep depression.