"It's been an extraordinary year for me" - Amanda Anisimova reflects after advancing to maiden Wimbledon semifinal
WTA
In a match that could have gone either way, American tennis player Amanda Anisimova was able to stifle a comeback from Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach her first Wimbledon semifinal.
The New Jersey native breezed through the opening set, but faced greater resistance from her Russian opponent in the second set. Nonetheless, it was Anisimova who emerged victorious, prevailing in a nail-biting tiebreak as she recorded a 6-1 7-6(9) victory to book her spot in the final four.
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The year has been one of resurgence for Anisimova
The 23-year old could barely contain herself after her win over Pavlyuchenkova, and issued thanks to the crowd for their support during her post-match interview. Furthermore, Anisimova admitted the 2025 season had been a positive one, and was elated to be moving to her first Wimbledon semifinal.
"It's been an extraordinary year for me," said the American. "Yeah, so many highs . It's just been such a ride and I've been enjoying every step of the way.
"Even times like today when you're not sure you'll cross the finish line, I just keep telling myself to enjoy the moment."
"Even times like today when you're not sure you'll cross the finish line, I just keep telling myself to enjoy the moment."
Anisimova last reached a Major semifinal at the 2019 French Open. The World No.12 has since dealt with injuries, in addition to taking some time away from court to deal with personal matters. However, Anisimova appears to be gaining confidence with each tournament, having finished runner-up at the Queen's Club Championships and reaching the quarterfinals at the Berlin Ladies Open just one week before Wimbledon.
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With another obstacle out of her path, Anisimova will have the opportunity to reach her first Grand Slam final. However, she will have to defeat World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, who overcame a spirited effort from tricky German veteran Laura Siegemund in their quarterfinal clash. Anisimova has faced her Belarusian opponent on eight occasions on the WTA Tour, winning five of them.
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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- I, like writer of this wonderful article, also picked Noskova to win this entire thing. I would love it if she and Andreeva are in the final.Rapunzel12-11-2026
- "Priorities", Saba... spend less time in front of cameras, anti-Social Media, selfies and back to Tennis.
mandoist12-11-2026 - Tell this to Andreeva!
mandoist12-11-2026 - Andreeva with 11 games in a row to add to Saba's downward spiral issue !!! Personal feelings aside... Jess Pegula may want to reassess her evaluation of Mirra's abilities.
mandoist12-11-2026 - I predicted whenthe list was finalised that Linda Noskova would win the WTA Finals and her matches against Gauff and Kostyuk prove that. She is the best (underrated) player in the world!Rapunzel11-11-2026
- Either Lena has a chronic internal ailment (i.e., colitis, enteritis, Crohn's, or some type of lower abdomen issue) -- or she is once again dealing with 'Vukovitis'. Mental stress can indeed cause lower body pains. No matter... whatever is truly going on sucks. "Virus" excuse is getting a bit old -- and often -- at this point.
mandoist09-11-2026 - Ironically, Martina became a U.S. Citizen about the same time as the Orange Convicted Felon & Abuser was just beginning on his road to losing all Daddy's Millions!!
mandoist09-11-2026 - "Another fresh start is in the cards." Thanks for the Humor!! I'm guessing this is the minimum one can do to keep all your sponsors hanging-on in perpetuity?
mandoist09-11-2026 - Vukov is doing this to Lena... AGAIN!!!!! WTA's autonomous collective should be dismantled for allowing Vukov to re-emerge from his hand-slapping suspension. Just ask WTA employees how that's been going lately as they witness his continued verbal abuses. Women's Pro Tennis should start over.
mandoist08-11-2026 - Can't help but suspect Vukov is back to his old self again. Thank you, WTA. Perhaps you can give them a "Battling Couple of the Year Award 2026" ??
mandoist08-11-2026









