Who is Amanda Anisimova? American tennis sensation upsets world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to make Wimbledon final

American star Amanda Anisimova pulled off a stunning upset on Centre Court, toppling world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a gripping three-set battle. With a hard-fought 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 triumph, Anisimova booked her ticket to a maiden Grand Slam final, etching her name into the history books in style.

Though the nerves were evident in the final set, Amanda Anisimova managed to stay composed during a tense two-and-a-half-hour showdown. She capitalized on Aryna Sabalenka’s unforced errors to clinch the opening set 6-4. The world No. 1 struck back in the second, but Anisimova stood her ground.

In the deciding set, Sabalenka briefly seized momentum by breaking Anisimova's serve to narrow the gap to 5-4. But the American didn’t blink. She dug deep and held her nerve to seal the win in style.

It was a rollercoaster of a match, momentum swings, mental battles, and sheer grit on both sides, but it's Anisimova who emerges victorious, showing immense steel in a gripping finish.

After stepping away from tennis in 2023 to focus on her mental well-being, Anisimova has returned stronger than ever. This performance marks the pinnacle of her Grand Slam journey so far.

As for Sabalenka, this one will sting. It's her third Wimbledon semifinal defeat, and after leading in the final set, she’ll feel this one slipped through her fingers.

Anisimova could hardly believe what she had just accomplished.

She covered her mouth with both hands and turned to her box, eyes wide with pure excitement, after watching her winner zip past her opponent.

Sabalenka didn't linger, storming off the court almost immediately, while the American soaked in the roar of the crowd.

After eliminating the top seed out of the competition, Anisimova said: "To be honest if you told me I would be in the final of Wimbledon I would not believe you.

"Especially not this soon. It's been a year's turnaround. So many dream of competing on this court. To be in the final is just indescribable, honestly.

"This doesn't feel real right now. Aryna is such a tough competitor. I was dying out there. She's such an incredible competitor, such an inspiration to me and so many other players.

"We had so many tough battles and to come on top today to get into the final at Wimbledon is incredibly special. The atmosphere was special today. I know she's number one but so many were cheering for me so I just want to say a huge 'thank you' to everyone."

Anisimova is only just hitting her stride.

The American kicked off the 2025 season with a statement win, capturing her first-ever WTA 1000 crown at the Qatar Open by toppling former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko in the final.

That triumph rocketed her into the world’s top 20 for the very first time—a long-awaited milestone for the 23-year-old talent from New Jersey, who's been flagged as one to watch since her early teens.

While her Doha breakthrough and stunning run to the Wimbledon final this summer have earned widespread attention, Anisimova's name has long echoed through the tennis world.

She turned pro at just 14 and made an immediate impact, winning her first match in the 2016 US Open qualifiers against seeded veteran Veronica Cepede Royg.

But it was in 2019 that the then-17-year-old truly made waves, surging into the French Open semi-finals despite having never won a match on Roland Garros’ clay before. Along the way, she stunned future world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and defending champion Simona Halep, all as an unseeded teenager.

That dream run made her the first woman born in the 2000s to reach both a Grand Slam quarter-final and semi-final, only stopped by eventual winner Ashleigh Barty.

She returned to the Grand Slam spotlight three years later, making the last eight again at Wimbledon 2022, where she ousted fellow American Coco Gauff in the third round.

But her path hasn't been without heartbreak. In 2023, Anisimova took a bold decision to step away from the sport to grieve the loss of her father and long-time coach, Konstantin, who passed away suddenly from a heart attack. She took an extended hiatus to focus on her mental well-being.

Anisimova etched her name into the history books with her monumental win over Aryna Sabalenka, becoming just the third player ever to beat the world No. 1 on clay, grass, and hard courts, joining an exclusive club alongside Kiki Bertens and Marketa Vondrousova.

Her stunning run to the Wimbledon final has also placed her in elite company. Since 1990, Anisimova is only the fourth player to knock out the top-ranked WTA star at Wimbledon en route to her first-ever Grand Slam final—following in the footsteps of Zina Garrison (1990), Marion Bartoli (2007), and Sabine Lisicki (2013).

Even more impressively, the 22-year-old becomes just the second woman in the Open Era to reach a Slam final just a year after failing to make it out of qualifying at the same event. The only other player to pull off that remarkable turnaround? Bianca Andreescu at the 2019 US Open.

Anisimova's win also ends a six-year drought for American women at the All England Club, she's the first from the U.S. to reach the Wimbledon final since Serena Williams last did it.

According to the WTA, this marks Anisimova’s sixth career win over a Top 5 opponent but more notably, it’s her first time toppling a reigning World No. 1.

Next up for Anisimova? A shot at the title on Saturday, where she'll meet either Iga Świątek or Belinda Bencic, who are battling it out in the second semifinal as we write.