July 11, 2025
Amanda Anisimova: Amanda Anisimova, currently ranked 12th in women’s tennis, has made it to the Wimbledon final. She pulled off a huge upset by defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals on Thursday.
Now, she’s just one win away from her first-ever Grand Slam title. To do that, she’ll need to beat the 8th seed, Iga Swiatek, in Saturday’s final.
What makes this run even more inspiring is her journey. Just two years ago, Anisimova stepped away from tennis to take care of her mental health.
Now, she’s back — and just one match from making history. On May 5, 2023, Amanda Anisimova opened up about her struggles. She shared a heartfelt message on social media.
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“I’ve been dealing with mental health issues and burnout since mid-2022,” she wrote. “Playing in tennis tournaments has started to feel overwhelming.”
She explained that things had become too difficult to ignore. “Right now, I need to focus on my mental well-being,” she added. “I’m taking a break to take care of myself.”
Anisimova also said she gave it her all. “I’ve tried my best to fight through it,” she said. “I’ll miss being on the court. Thank you all for the constant support.”
In May 2023, Amanda Anisimova faced a tough loss in the first round of the Madrid Open. That moment made her realize she needed a break.
Shortly after, she took to Instagram to share her decision. She announced she would be stepping away from tennis to focus on her mental health.
The break was open-ended. She didn’t say when she would return. It came as a shock to many. After all, Anisimova had once reached as high as No. 21 in the WTA rankings.
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Back in 2019, Amanda Anisimova made headlines at just 17 years old. She reached the semifinals of the French Open — a rare feat for someone so young.
She became the youngest woman to make it that far in a Grand Slam since 2006.
At Roland Garros, she pulled off some big wins. She defeated the defending champion, Simona Halep. She also beat Aryna Sabalenka during that impressive run.
It was a breakout moment that announced her arrival on the world stage.
In 2022, Amanda Anisimova had a strong run at the Australian Open. She reached the fourth round and knocked out the defending champion, Naomi Osaka.
Her form continued at Wimbledon later that year. She advanced to the quarterfinals and stunned rising American star Coco Gauff.
Despite those big wins, things weren’t easy behind the scenes. By May 2023, Anisimova admitted she was feeling mentally exhausted.
She decided to take a break from tennis. During that time, she turned to her other interests. Art became a peaceful escape from the pressures of the sport.
Speaking to Olympics.com last month, Amanda Anisimova shared how art became a part of her healing.
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“I started painting when I was going through a tough time mentally,” she said. “It gave me a break from everything. For a few hours, I could relax and create something beautiful.”
She said the hobby meant a lot to her. “It felt good to do something beyond tennis,” Anisimova added. “It was refreshing to have other passions too.”
Art helped her reset. It gave her space to breathe and reconnect with herself.
Amanda Anisimova made her comeback at the Auckland Open in January 2024. Since then, she’s been steadily finding her rhythm again.
Step by step, she’s been climbing back up the rankings. At the 2024 Washington Open, she hit a new milestone. She reached the quarterfinals — her first time doing so since 2022.
Along the way, she defeated Sloane Stephens in an impressive win. Her return to form is slowly taking shape, one match at a time.
At the Canadian Open later that year, Amanda Anisimova made a deep run. She reached the final and defeated Aryna Sabalenka on the way.
That performance marked a big turning point in her comeback. Her strong showing pushed her back into the WTA top 50. She had jumped over 80 spots — from a ranking of 132.
Then, in February this year, she achieved another major milestone. Anisimova won her first WTA 1000 title at the Qatar Open.
The victory boosted her into the top 20, showing the world she’s truly back.
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Amanda Anisimova also made it to the final of the Queen’s Club Championships, a WTA 500 event. That strong performance helped her climb to a career-best ranking of No. 12 — just before Wimbledon.
Then came her biggest moment yet.
On Thursday, she battled past top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka. With that win, Anisimova booked a spot in her very first Grand Slam final.
After the match, Amanda Anisimova spoke with emotion and disbelief. "Honestly, if someone had told me I’d be in the Wimbledon final, I wouldn’t have believed it," she said. "And definitely not this soon."
She called the past year a complete turnaround. "Making the final feels unreal," she added. "It’s hard to even describe how much it means to me."
Looking back at the time she took away from tennis, Anisimova said the win proved something important. Taking that break, she said, was the best decision she could have made.
“Many people told me I’d never return to the top if I took a long break,” Anisimova shared. “They thought time away from the game would end my career.” But she proved them wrong.
“Being able to come back and show that it’s possible — that you can still succeed when you put yourself first — means everything to me,” she said. “It’s something truly special.”
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