Amanda Anisimova stuns Aryna Sabalenka as top seed out of Wimbledon | Tennis | Sport

Amanda Anisimova quit tennis in 2023 and two years later has reached the Wimbledon final. The American, who first burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old at the French Open six years ago, has gone one step further than that breakthrough run with a 6-4 4-6 6-4 upset over top seed Aryna Sabalenka.

The American 12th seed, who last year failed to even qualify for Wimbledon, immediately proved she deserved a place in the semi-final. She began with two comfortable holds of serve, the second to love. Her most powerful weapon – the double-handed backhand – proving difficult to handle throughout.

She has the highest second serve return speed of anybody left in the tournament – men’s or women’s – at 77mph. Not afraid to attack the Sabalenka serve, Anisimova had two break points at 3-2 in the first, but dropped to her knees when the second attempt went just long. The top seed managed to hold after a brief medical emergency in the crowd.

A shot out by millimetres, a double fault and then a long forehand offered Sabalenka three break points. She was unable to convert, however. A second medical emergency took place inside an hour as the crowd struggled in temperatures of over 30 degrees.

Anisimova shortly had two set points as Sabalenka served to stay in the first set, down 5-4, but the most unlikely of double faults handed the American the break and set.

Anisimova quit tennis in 2023 to focus on her mental health and did not even pick up a racket for months, instead returning to college in her homeland and taking up painting, later auctioning off her pieces for charity.

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And her performance throughout the entirety of Wimbledon has been a breath of fresh air. She is rested and at peace with her game, having dropped out of the professional tour to prioritise her mental health two years ago.

The second set began with more holds of serve, with little separating the two players, before Sabalenka let out a huge shriek as Anisimova held to love. The three-time Grand Slam champion was visibly rattled.

Sabalenka, off the back of two defeats in Major finals this year, began to let her frustrations slip out. She became increasingly vocal as the second set grew on and let out another roar when an ace levelled the scoreboard at 3-3.

And just as Anisimova got the break in the first set via three unforced double fault, Sabalenka had the favour returned to put her in pole position in the second with three unforced errors and a double fault. She finished the job a couple of games later as the three-time WTA Tour title winner’s serve began to wane.

Sabalenka then began the deciding set by breaking to love in a huge statement, they way Wimbledon finalists start out third sets.

Anisimova showed her mettle and immediately had two break points, converting the second in a resilient effort as Sabalenka’s forehand went long. Then came a second break in the fourth game, when Sabalenka had Centre Court gasping when she somehow overhit her blast at the net as the ball looped up in a promising position.

Anisimova found herself 40-15 down but rallied back and the grit that was on display during her run to the final in Queen’s was back. In the big moments she stepped up and claimed a massive hold to lead 4-1.

A nervy holds, the first thanks to a fortuitous net cord, put Anisimova and her unique brand of tennis within a fingertip of the finish line. But leading 5-3, Sabalenka broke back with a string of powerful winners.

Then, however, Anisimova broke for a final time to win the match and set up a final against either Iga Swiatek or Belinda Bencic after refusing to be bullied by the towering figure of Sabalenka.