By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, November 4, 2025
Photo credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty for WTA
Scar tissue is more inspiration than impediment for Amanda Anisimova.
Humbled in a double bagel loss to Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final in July, Anisimova gained a major measure of Riyadh revenge today.
The fourth-seeded Anisimova fended off Swiatek 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-2 to secure a spot in the semifinals of the WTA Finals.
In her maiden appearance at the season-ending event, Anisimova served with authority, backed Swiatek up banging returns deep down the middle and blistered winners off both wings down the line to beat the Pole for the second time in a row following her 6-4, 6-3 US Open quarterfinal conquest.
A fearless Anisimova belted 18 more winners than Swiatek—43 to 25—improving to 10-4 vs. Top 10 opponents in 2025.
“I’m sure it was more of a rollercoaster on the sidelines,” Anisimova told Tennis Channel’s Coco Vandeweghe afterward. “It was such a tough battle. It’s always going to be like that against Iga.
“I just told myself to really go out there and play my best tennis. Go for it, sor sure. I think I just really enjoyed the challenge today.”
US Open finalist Anisimova joins Elena Rybakina in the final four out of the Serena Williams Group of the round-robin event.
Earlier, the sixth-seeded Rybakina defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-4 to win the Serena Williams Group with a perfect 3-0 record. Alexandrova filled in as a replacement for Australian Open champion Madison Keys, who withdrew due to illness.
The Anisimova-Swiatek showdown percolated with the pressure of a win and you’re in encounter.
In the end, it marked the first time Swiatek has lost back-to-back matches since the 2021 WTA Finals. Swiatek, who arrived in a Riyadh with a 54-1 record when winning the first set of her last 55 matches, lost successive from a set up after bowing to Rybakina on Monday. Perhaps that’s why a sullen Swiatek did not even offer the customary wave to cheering fans as she walked off court today following a two hour, 36-minute defeat.
The Amanda show continues! 🤩@AnisimovaAmanda battles back to defeat Swiatek 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-2. #WTAFinalsRiyadh pic.twitter.com/TJGRP722rG
— wta (@WTA) November 5, 2025
Anisimova showed steely spine, saving all four break points she faced, including hammering her two-hander down the line to save a break point and eventually hold for 5-2 in the decider. Swiatek was nearly as tough on serve: She saved nine of 12 break points, including all four break points she faced in the first set. Still, Swiatek, one of the best returners in the sport, will rue the fact after breaking Rybakina to open their Monday match, she went five straight sets without earning a single break against power players Anisimova and Rybakina.
Swiatek’s second straight three-set defeat leaves reigning champion Coco Gauff, who faces No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka tomorrow, as the only former WTA Finals champion in the field still standing.
Beijing champion Anisimova, who was ranked No. 36 at this time last season, is now ranked No. 4—with aspirations to rise higher in Riyadh.
“I think that’s the way I like to play [aggressive], especially indoors here the courts are so fast,” Anisimova said of her baseline aggression. “I mean she was playing very aggressively as well and I was just trying to time my shots.
“I think I just gave it my best today and just really happy with the result.”
Deadlocked at 5-all, Swiatek delivered some of her most assertive tennis down double break point at 15-40.
The Wimbledon winner saved a second break point with a slick swing volley to extend the longest game of the set. Anisimova committed successive forehand errors as Swiatek held firm for 6-5.
The US Open finalist held at 30 to force the tiebreaker.
In the extra session, Swiatek did damage with her fierce topspin forehand. Swiatek smacked two forehand winners in the first four points, snatching a 3-1 lead.
After Anisimova misfired on her signature shot, the two-handed backhand, Swiatek earned four set points at 6-2.
On her second set point, Swiatek drilled a deep forehand forcing Anisimova to jerk a forehand wide as the Pole sealed the opening set in 65 minutes.
Swiatek saved all four break points she faced in the opener, while Anisimova, who did not face a break point and had the edge for much of the set, did not stand up to the Swiatek baseline attack in the breaker.
The second-seeded Swiatek, who had not broken serve since the opening game of her 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 loss to Elena Rybakina on Monday, earned three break points early in the second set.
Hitting some gutsy serves, Anisimova tamed trouble denying all three break points and blasting a backhand winner to hold for a 2-1 second-set lead.
After that tenacious stand by the American neither woman really threatened serve until the final game of the set.
Serving at 4-5, Swiatek held game point but Anisimova applied pressure and a sliding Swiatek overshot a backhand pass to drop to deuce.
Wisely pounding returns deep down the middle, Anismova drew a backhand into the bottom of the net for set point. Anisimova again hammered a backhand right at Swiatek, who netted a second straight backhand as Anisimova earned the first break to snatch the second set.
Not over yet 🙅♀️@AnisimovaAmanda takes the second set 6-4 over Swiatek and a third set will determine who moves on in Riyadh.#WTAFinalsRiyadh pic.twitter.com/iyMtc5oXcI
— wta (@WTA) November 5, 2025
That break forced a final set after two hours of hard-hitting play. Through the first two sets, Anisimova hit 13 more winners (30 to 17).
The third set would be winner-take-all for a semifinal spot.
Anisimova did not hold back at all.
Credit Swiatek for saving three break points in her opening service game of the decider.
That was just a prelude to the thunder storm Anisimova would strike.
Two games later, Anisimova rocketed a forehand return winner down the line for triple break point. Though Swiatek saved the first two break points, she finally cracked double-faulting into net as Anisimova broke for 3-1 after two hours, 19 minutes.
When she sets her feet and gets her body behind the ball, Anisimova’s brilliant backhand is arguably the best in the sport. Today, she was an equal opportunity demolition expert blowing up points off both wings. Anisimova lashed another forehand down the line off the baseline holding for 4-1.
Swiatek’s last stand came in the seventh game when she earned a break point, but Anisimova saved it then whipped the wide serve holding for 5-2.
On match point, Anisimova read the serve and slashed a forehand return down the line thrusting her arms in the air after wrapping her second straight win over Swiatek.
“I’m like pretty notorious for not ending the season so well at the end of the year,” Anisimova said. “I was telling my sister: Yeah, I don’t have the best track record for the last tournament of the year.
“But this year, hopefully I can do better, especially here at the WTA Finals. I knew it was going to be so, so tough. But just really trying to do my best and stay here as long as possible. I’m just super excited to be in the semifinals.”
