Who Is Amanda Anisimova? US Tennis Star Stuns Top Seeds To Reach Wimbledon Final

Amanda Anisimova is savouring a surreal moment: her first-ever run to a Grand Slam final. At the ongoing Wimbledon Championships, the American stunned some of the most brilliant players of the world to make her way to the title match. At the July 10 semi-finals, the crowd on Centre Court watched in awe as Anisimova stunned top-seeded and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. "I feel amazing," the 23-year-old said in a post-match interview. "I mean, it’s so exciting to be in the final here. I think I still can’t believe it in a way." 

All about Amanda Anisimova

Born on August 31, 2001, in New Jersey's Freehold Township, Anisimova started playing tennis at age five, inspired by her older sister Maria. The family moved to Florida when the sisters were young so they could have better opportunities to train under elite coaches. By the time she was a teenager, Anisimova was already winning prestigious junior tournaments.

Anisimova concluded her junior career on a stunning note, winning her first major title at the US Open girls, where she defeated fellow-American Coco Gauff in the final and did not drop a set during the tournament. She turned pro in 2016 and earned her big breakthrough, winning the USTA Girls’ 18s National Championship, earning a wildcard into the US Open main draw.

In 2019, Anisimova turned heads as she reached the semi-finals of the French Open, defeating defending champion Simona Halep of Romania. She was the youngest American woman to reach a Grand Slam semifinal since Venus Williams in 1997. However, she was defeated by Ashleigh Barty of Australia. 

Anisimova made it to the WTA Top 30 women's singles tennis ranking in 2019. Despite her rapid rise, Anisimova’s journey was marked by both triumph and personal loss. That year, a week before her birthday, she lost her father and long-time coach Konstantin to a heart attack. “It was the worst thing that ever happened to me," she told The Post. 

Shortly after this tragedy, Anisimova powered through and returned to Tour, reaching later rounds in major tournaments and maintaining her position among the top American players. She admitted that making a comeback on the courts was difficult but made her happy because she knew that her dad would always want her to play and make her proud.

Mental health break & comebacks

In 2023, she took a seven month mental health break from the sport. On her return in 2024, she beat Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at the Auckland Open. She returned to the Grand Slam tournaments at the Australian Open, where she reached the fourth round. In the following seasons, Anisimova battled through injuries and grief, gradually rebuilding momentum.

Anisimova was ranked world No. 12 by the WTA on June 30, 2025. Reflecting on her growth and sportsmanship, Anisimova told The Guardian, "When I took my break, a lot of people told me that I would never make it to the top again if I took so much time away from the game... I did want to come back and still achieve a lot and win a Grand Slam one day."

"I think it goes to show that it is possible. Just me being able to prove that you can get back to the top if you prioritise yourself. That’s been incredibly special to me.”

In her third appearance at the Wimbledons, Anisimova will face the eighth seed, Poland's Iga Świątek, in the finals on July 12. She said, "Iga is such an unbelievable player, but she’s also been an inspiration to me. Hopefully I can bring some high quality tennis and make it a battle out there. I’m going to go out and enjoy every moment and try to not think about what’s on the line."