“I knew that I wasn’t just going to win off of her mistakes” – Anisimova on beating Sabalenka at Wimbledon

The American says making a Grand Slam final vindicates her decision to take time away from tennis

11 July 2025

American Amanda Anisimova had a clear plan heading into her Wimbledon semi-final against world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka: she was going to take the bull by the horns and win the match.

This time last month, controversy swirled in women’s tennis when Sabalenka declared that she only lost the Roland-Garros final because of her error count against Coco Gauff. While the Belarusian has since retracted her comments, Anisimova was taking no chances on Friday.

“I knew that I wasn’t just going to win off of her mistakes,” the 23-year-old said after her 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory. “I knew that I was going to really have to go for it. I really had to bring my game and do as much as I could, especially when it came to being aggressive.”

But it was more than just aggression that earned Anisimova her maiden Grand Slam final appearance. In her words, defeating Sabalenka required “perfect tennis”.

“It’s really hard trying to have to play perfect tennis because that’s the only way to really get the win,” she explained. “She’s such a tough player. I knew that I had to really dig deep and make as little mistakes as possible. Her level just kept increasing and getting better and better throughout the match.

“She was playing incredible and serving very well. I knew I was going to have to come out with something big or do something very special to be able to pull off that win.

“It was such a tough match and a little bit of a roller coaster there. The margins are so slim, especially when you’re playing, I mean, the No 1 in the world. I feel like we really fought out there today.”

Wimbledon final vindicates Anisimova’s journey

Much has been made of Anisimova’s unique backstory leading into her Wimbledon run.

Early last year, she was ranked outside the world’s top 400 after taking a prolonged period away from the sport due to mental health. The American was written off by many for her decision to prioritise her well-being, even more so after she lost in the qualifying of Wimbledon.

But now, the manner in which she has been able to climb her way back to the top of the WTA rankings – she will crack the top 10 on Monday, regardless of how Saturday’s final goes – has vindicated her journey.

“I mean, I think it’s different for everyone,” Anisimova reflected. “I think it goes to show that it is possible.

“I think that’s a really special message that I think I’ve been able to show because when I took my break, a lot of people told me that you would never make it to the top again if you take so much time away from the game. That was a little hard to digest because I did want to come back and still achieve a lot and win a Grand Slam one day.

“Just me being able to prove that you can get back to the top if you prioritise yourself. So that’s been incredibly special to me. Yeah, it means a lot.

“When I came here, I said that it was a super special feeling to be seeded here after losing in the qualies last year. Despite however I was going to do here, just being able to be in the top again at a career high just meant a lot to me. The rest I just told myself I’m going to compete and enjoy every moment out there.

“I mean, it’s been an incredible year for me. To be in the Wimbledon final, I mean, I’m still trying to process it, in a way.”