Amanda Anisimova will compete against Iga Swiatek on Saturday for the women’s singles title at Wimbledon, as the American aims to claim her first Grand Slam trophy. This final marks a landmark moment at SW19, where Anisimova becomes the first American finalist since Serena Williams in 2019, while Swiatek seeks to add a sixth Major to her collection.

The match not only features emerging talent versus seasoned expertise but also continues a trend of new champions, with the winner joining seven other unique titleholders since Williams’ back-to-back wins in 2015 and 2016.

Road to the Wimbledon Final: Anisimova’s Rise and Swiatek’s Grass Court Breakthrough

At 23, Amanda Anisimova has experienced a remarkable journey to this final, especially notable because she took a hiatus from tennis two years ago to focus on her mental health and missed qualifying for Wimbledon only last year. Her progression from barely entering the tournament to now contesting the final is unprecedented in the Open Era, reminiscent of Bianca Andreescu’s 2019 US Open run.

Seeded 13th, Anisimova’s semi-final victory over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was a significant statement, marking her twelfth win on grass this season and underlining her growing form on this surface. Her campaign includes strong showings at Queen’s Club and a quarter-final berth in Berlin, despite losses to players like Tatjana Maria and Liudmila Samsonova.

The American hopes to cap off an impressive 12-2 grass season record by overcoming Swiatek, securing the biggest win of her career so far.

On the other side, Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam winner, arrives with mixed recent results on grass. Although winning Wimbledon as a junior in 2018, her performances in the main draw have often fallen short, with early exits in multiple years and only two previous second-week appearances at the All England Club.

This year, Swiatek has disrupted that pattern, despite a thirteen-month title drought after her 2023 French Open triumph. She has yet to defend titles successfully on her favored clay courts at Madrid, Rome, or Roland Garros, where her semi-final loss to Sabalenka was a notable setback.

Intensive grass-court training in Mallorca and reaching her first grass final at Bad Homburg have revitalized Swiatek’s momentum heading into Wimbledon. Her clinical semi-final win over Belinda Bencic demonstrated her ability to raise her game on grass.

Now, the 24-year-old Pole is one match away from breaking her title drought, with strong motivation fueled by previous surface struggles.

Match Progression of Both Finalists at Wimbledon

Amanda Anisimova’s Matches:

First Round: Defeated Yulia Putintseva 6-0, 6-0

Second Round: Beat Renata Zarazua 6-4, 6-3

Third Round: Overcame Dalma Galfi 6-3, 5-7, 6-3

Fourth Round: Triumphed against Linda Noskova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4

Quarter-Final: Won versus Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 7-6 (9)

Semi-Final: Edged Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4

Iga Swiatek’s Matches:

First Round: Defeated Polina Kudermetova 7-5, 6-1

Second Round: Beat Caty McNally 5-7, 6-2, 6-1

Third Round: Beat Danielle Collins 6-2, 6-3

Fourth Round: Won against Clara Tauson 6-4, 6-1

Quarter-Final: Defeated Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 7-5

Semi-Final: Dominated Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0

First Meeting Adds Drama and Tactical Intrigue

This Wimbledon final will be their first encounter on the WTA Tour, adding unpredictability to the contest. Both players rely on strong serves and aggressive play, but have notable differences in service performance and break statistics.

Anisimova’s serving statistics feature a 73% win rate on first-serve points and 54% on her second serve, whereas Swiatek outperforms with 80% on first serve points won, though her second serve percentage is slightly lower at 52%. Both have demonstrated excellent return games, with Anisimova breaking opponents 28 times compared to Swiatek’s 27.

However, Swiatek has shown more consistency with her serve, being broken only six times throughout the tournament, while Anisimova has lost her serve 12 times, which may be a gap that Swiatek could exploit during the final.

Swiatek’s experience in finals is formidable, with a 22-5 record overall and an unbeaten 5-0 record specifically in Grand Slam finals, although most of these wins came on clay courts in Paris. Conversely, Anisimova has a balanced record in finals, having won and lost three titles, including a recent runner-up finish at Queen’s Club.

Prediction Points Toward Swiatek’s Consistent Performance

While Anisimova’s powerful striking could challenge Swiatek’s game, the Polish player has demonstrated resilience against similar opponents. Swiatek’s path to her first Wimbledon final and her commanding performance against power hitters Clara Tauson and Liudmila Samsonova suggest she has adapted well to grass.

The veteran’s poise and clinical execution on serve and return suggest she will likely maintain her unbeaten record in Grand Slam finals and secure her sixth Major, edging out a determined but less experienced Anisimova.

Our Reader’s Queries

Q. Why did Amanda Anisimova take a break?

A. Anisimova shared on social media on May 5, 2023, that she’s been having a tough time with her mental health and burnout since summer 2022. She mentioned that attending tennis tournaments has become too overwhelming. Right now, she is focusing on taking care of her mental health and plans to take a break.