In a stunning upset on Centre Court, American Amanda Anisimova reached her first Grand Slam final by defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling Wimbledon semi-final.
Anisimova, seeded 13th, outlasted Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a dramatic two-hour-and-35-minute battle played under the scorching London sun. The 23-year-old showed remarkable composure, saving 11 of the 14 break points she faced and finally closing the match on her fourth match point, reports BBC.
Waving and blowing kisses to the cheering crowd, Anisimova was visibly emotional after her breakthrough victory.
«This doesn’t feel real,» she said on court. «I was absolutely dying out there. I don’t know how I pulled it out. To come out on top today and be in the final of Wimbledon is so incredibly special.»
The win marks Anisimova’s best Grand Slam performance to date, surpassing her semi-final run at the 2019 French Open.
For Sabalenka, it’s another bitter blow in a season full of near-misses. After falling short in both the Australian Open final (to Madison Keys) and the French Open final (to Coco Gauff), the Belarusian won’t even feature in the final at SW19, despite having reached the title match in the previous three majors.
Anisimova will now await the winner of Thursday’s second semi-final between five-time major champion Iga Swiatek and former Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic. The final will be played on Saturday.
Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Uzbekistan’s national football team has improved its standing in the international rankings.
