At the Wimbledon semifinals, many expected the top two seeds to advance with ease, setting up the much-anticipated final between Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek - two of the women’s tennis players we had our eyes on. But once again, the women’s category reminded us of its unpredictability: Sabalenka fell short and was beaten by Amanda Anisimova, who delivered a masterclass in underdog strategy, while Swiatek dominated with ease her match against Belinda Bencic. Wimbledon has an uncanny way of summoning peak career performances from those who might not have been at their best throughout the season. And this year is no exception.
Here, we break down the semifinals and share everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s clash between Swiatek and Anisimova.
Aryna Sabalenka has never reached a Wimbledon final, and Amanda Anisimova, the world No. 13 Russian-American, made sure it stayed that way. When the tournament began, Anisimova was flying under the radar, and few believed she had a real shot at making a Grand Slam final. For the 23-year-old was playing only the second Grand Slam semifinal of her career.
Despite Sabalenka coming off an uncomfortable win against Siegemund in the quarterfinals, she entered the match as the clear favourite. But in tennis, things don’t always go as planned. Sabalenka lost the first set 4-6 to Anisimova’s powerful, precise serves. She showed moments of brilliance: in the second set, Sabalenka responded with roaring energy, landing perfect backhand winners and escalating the intensity of the match with a fierce vocal presence, turning the court into a battle of willpower and volume. She sealed the second set with a thunderous serve, much like she had against Siegemund, giving hope for a comeback.
Yet the semifinals told a different story. Unlike in the quarters, Sabalenka struggled to maintain dominance in the third and final set. This is where both players performed at their best, with only millimetric adjustments defining the outcome. A sharper, more aggressive Anisimova capitalised on her forehand to build a comfortable 4-1 lead. The Tigress was in trouble. Though Sabalenka made her way back to 4-5, signs of doubt crept into her final serve. Anisimova seized the moment, converting her fourth match point with a beautifully placed backhand - unreachable for Sabalenka - and sealing the greatest performance of her career to date.
It was a stunning semifinal, showcasing Sabalenka’s vocal, emotional, and magnetic presence as she fought to reach her first Wimbledon final. The world No. 1 lives and breathes tennis - and does little to hide it. But perhaps that intensity, which often drives her success, allowed Anisimova to remain composed and focused.
It was unusual to see Belinda Bencic, the world No. 35, make it all the way to a Wimbledon semifinal. Yet the 28-year-old Swiss player made the most of her experience to get past Mirra Andreeva, a player many thought had great chances of reaching the semifinal. Bencic won her quarterfinal in two tie-break–defined sets and advanced to face Iga Swiatek, who was having her best Wimbledon so far and had just beaten Samsonova (No. 19) in two sets.
Iga had never reached a Wimbledon semifinal either, and it was clear she was determined to play a final on grass to prove the value of a process she’s been excelling at in South London: the control of aggressiveness on a tennis court, something one might argue Sabalenka lacked. The former world No. 1 defeated Belinda Bencic with ease: 6–2 in the first set and 6–0 in the second. A display of total and pure domination unfolded during Centre Court’s second main event of the day.
It was a completely different story from the Sabalenka-Anisimova encounter, and the playing time reflected it well. While that semifinal lasted 2 hours and 37 minutes - full of doubt, intrigue, and emotions - the Swiatek-Bencic duel ended in just 1 hour and 12 minutes, in what felt more like another step on Swiatek's road to the final than a true battle for a place in Saturday’s championship match.
Nevertheless, all credit goes to Swiatek and her beautiful tennis, with the Polish player even admitting to the Wimbledon crowd that it was her ‘first time playing well on grass’.
The stage is set for a compelling Wimbledon final between Swiatek and Anisimova. Remarkably, this will be their first-ever encounter at the professional level, as they’ve only ever played junior matches when they were teens.
While Swiatek arrives as the favourite, Anisimova’s recent performance beating world No. 1 suggests she’s more than ready to challenge for her first Grand Slam title. It promises to be a memorable match between two players who will give everything to leave their names marked forever in the All England Lawn Tennis Club’s history books.
