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Both the penultimate clashes of women's singles at the Wimbledon Championships witnessed intense games. As the countdown of the final contest is going one, it will be interesting to see who will dominate as it is the first Wimbledon final for both the contestants, Amanda Anisimova and Iga Swiatek. The scrutiny and expectations that come with being a teen prodigy took a toll on Amanda’s mental health as she stepped away from the game in 2023. But, she has proved them wrong who warned her that taking a mental health break could ruin her career.
In her semi-final match, the 23-year-old American stunned Aryna Sabalenka to reach her first Wimbledon final. The 13th seed handed a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 defeat to the world number one. Aryna had reached the previous three Grand Slam final, but came up short against Anisimova, who matched her blow for blow in a bruising encounter lasting over two and a half hours. This defeat is a bitter blow for Sabalenka who has still never been beyond semi-finals in Wimbledon. “Losing sucks, you feel like you are getting close to your dream and then this is the end,” she said in the post-match statement.
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Iga Swiatek is now a Grand Slam finalist on all three surfaces - hard, grass, and clay
In the other semi-final match, Iga Swiatek also advanced to her first Wimbledon final after defeating former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic 6-2 and 6-0. The 24-year-old Polish who is known for her expertise on the clay court, dominated the match against the 35th ranked Bencic showcasing her improved grass court abilities. By progressing to the final, Swiatek has been to the final of majors played on all the three surfaces - hard, grass, and clay. “Honestly, I never dreamed that it’s going to be possible for me to play in the final, so I’m just super-excited and proud of myself and I don’t know, tennis keeps surprising,” said Swiatek in the post-match statement.
Both the finalists are in scintillating form as this year marks Swiatek’s best performance at Wimbledon, surpassing her previous quarter-final stint in 2023. For Anisimova, it is a chance to be the youngest American to win the grass court Grand Slam, as she is the youngest to qualify in the final since Serena Williams in 2004. Back then, Serena lost to Sharapova.
