Iga Swiatek to Face Amanda Anisimova in Wimbledon Final After Commanding Wins in Semis, Aryna Sabalenka Out

Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova will square off in a high-stakes Wimbledon women's singles final on Saturday, following vastly different semi-final journeys on Thursday.

Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam winner, delivered a clinical performance to dismantle Switzerland's Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0 in just over an hour. The match, lasting only 71 minutes, saw the Polish eighth seed dominate from start to finish and cruise into her first Wimbledon final.

This marks new territory for the 24-year-old Swiatek, who had never progressed past the quarter-finals at the All England Club before. Her appearance in the championship match also comes just two weeks after reaching the final in Bad Homburg - her only other grass-court final.

Reflecting on her milestone, she said, "Honestly, I never even dreamed that it's going to be possible for me to play in the final. I thought I had experienced everything on the court but I didn't experience playing well on grass, so that's the first time," Swiatek told AFP.

She now holds a perfect record in Grand Slam finals and looked more than comfortable on a surface that has previously troubled her, dominating former Olympic champion Bencic without facing much resistance.

Awaiting her in the final is Amanda Anisimova, who pulled off a major upset by defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set thriller. The American 13th seed edged Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a high-intensity battle.

After the match, a visibly emotional Anisimova said, "This doesn't feel real right now, honestly. Aryna is such a tough competitor and I was absolutely dying out there. To come out on top and be in the final of Wimbledon is incredible."

Anisimova, who stepped away from tennis in 2023 due to mental health struggles, was once ranked outside the top 400. Now 23, she's on the verge of a remarkable comeback, set to enter the top 10 next week. She also becomes only the second woman in the Open Era to reach a Slam final after losing in qualifying the year before.

Sabalenka, who has now lost six of her nine matches against Anisimova, was again denied a Wimbledon final. "She was more brave today," the Belarusian conceded. "I have more of a hate relationship with Wimbledon at the moment, but I hope to turn it around."