American tennis player Amanda Anisimova has reached her first Wimbledon semifinal by defeating Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 7-6(9) in a thrilling quarterfinal match. The victory marks only her second Grand Slam semifinal overall.
Anisimova dominated the first set before facing a tense second-set tiebreaker. She saved multiple set points and showed strong mental resilience to secure the win. Her emotional celebration reflected the significance of this achievement after overcoming a difficult period in her career.
In May 2023, Anisimova took an indefinite break from tennis due to mental health struggles and burnout. During her seven-month hiatus, she focused on university studies, art, volunteering, and spending time with friends. She returned to the sport at the 2024 Australian Open and has steadily regained form, culminating in her success at Wimbledon.
Anisimova extended her head-to-head record against Pavlyuchenkova to 4-0 with this win. Her performances, including a notable comeback against Linda Noskova in the previous round, have guaranteed her a place in the WTA Top 10 for the first time, rising from No. 189 just one year ago.
In the semifinals, Anisimova will face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka advanced by overcoming Laura Siegemund in three sets, showing strong determination after falling behind early. Sabalenka has reached the Wimbledon semifinals twice before but has yet to make a final at the tournament.
The upcoming match between Anisimova and Sabalenka promises to be an exciting contest as both players seek to advance to the Wimbledon final.