By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, September 2, 2025
Photo credit: Al Bello/Getty
NEW YORK—Iga Swiatek dealt devastation to Amanda Anisimova in the Wimbledon final.
Anisimova aims to draw inspiration from historic thrashing when she takes another shot at Swiatek in the US Open quarterfinals.
The eighth-seeded Anisimova streaked through seven straight games in a 6-0, 6-3 beatdown of Beatriz Haddad Maia on Monday night.
That match followed world No. 1 Jannik Sinner’s 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 obliteration of Alexander Bublik. Typically, Anisimova takes a nap before night matches but Sinner was so ruthlessly efficient, she skipped the nap and put Haddad Maia in a sleeper hold instead.
“I normally take a nap at that time, and I didn’t even get to, like, really lay down and put my head down,” Anisimova said. “It was kind of like I just ate and then went. I honestly prefer that, because, like, warming up several times and not knowing when you’re going to go on is pretty hard.
“I feel like I’ve gotten used to it. But definitely tonight was easier on me I think. Just to, like, not really let the nerves get to me and go out and play was a lot better.”
Now, Anisimova must confront a nightmare opponent with a semifinal spot on the line.
The 24-year-old Swiatek annihilated Anisimova, 6-0, 6-0 in the most lopsided ladies Wimbledon final in Open Era history to capture her sixth Grand Slam championship—and become the first Polish singles player in history to win Wimbledon in July.
It was the first time in 37 years—Since Hall of Famer Steffi Graf destroyed Natasha Zverev in the 1988 Roland Garros final—a champion baked a double bagel in a Slam final.
Swiatek’s double bagel beat-down was the most lopsided Wimbledon women’s final in the Open Era, surpassing Billie Jean King’s 6-0, 6-1 win over Evonne Goolagong in 1975. Swiatek won 24 of 26 games in the semifinals and finals dispensing the first Wimbledon final double bagel in 114 years—since Dorothea Lambert Chambers shut out fellow Briton Dora Boothby in the 1911 final.
The six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek rides a
Still, Anisimova said she’s pumped for the rematch with Swiatek.
“For sure, I’m really excited and looking forward to it,” Anisimova said. “At this stage of the game you’re going to play a really tough opponent regardless. So to be able to have, you know, a rematch or to be able to face her again and give myself another chance, I’m really, really happy about that.”
A year ago, Anisimova entered the US Open ranked No. 50.
Now, the 2017 US Open girls’ champion is No. 9 and facing her biggest challenge of the event against the 2022 US Open champion.
“Yeah, I feel like it’s going to be a really tough challenge, but I feel like I’ve been playing well,” Anisimova said. “Yeah, I mean, I’m just looking forward to it. I’m sure it’s going to be a great match, and yeah, I hope I can put on a good performance.”
Anisimova has won 12 of her last 15 matches, including three straight-sets wins in four US Open matches.
Swiatek is a better mover that will put a premium on Anisimova’s first-serve percentage—and her vaunted backhand down the line, which is one of the best in the sport. Anisimova knows she must stay in step early—or run the risk of another blow-out loss.
Champions must exhibit short-term memory loss on court and put defeats in the past. The question is: Can Anisimova rise up and rid herself from the scar-tissue she carries from that painful Wimbledon shutout?
“It wasn’t a good performance by any means. I feel like maybe I learned some things from it and some things I can do differently, but above all, I think it was just a learning experience,” Anisimova said. “Yeah, bouncing back from that actually was, you know, a little bit difficult, because that never happened to me before. But I’ve worked through it, and the hard court season started off strong for me. So yeah, I feel like I have moved on from that at this point.”
