Wimbledon, England – Amanda Anisimova continues to apologize to the Centre Court audience – about her performance due to her 6-0, 6-0 defeat to Iga Swietek in the Wimbledon final and the feelings that are difficult to give a speech afterwards.
Through it, 23-year-old American Anishimova in her first major title match thanked her mother, Olga Animiva, for taking the unusual trip to see her daughter play in person.
“My mother is the most selfless person I know, and she did everything to take me to this point in my life,” said Anishimova, whose father passed away in 2019 when she was 17.
Then, to talk to her mother, Anishimoba continued as her eyes grew with tears. “Thank you for being here and breaking the superstitions flying.”
And with a tongue reference to her 57-minute defeat, Anishimoba laughed, “That’s definitely not the reason I lost today.”
“I’m so happy to share this moment and be able to witness this firsthand, you’re here and there. You’re doing so much for my sister and me, so you can’t live, play me and play so much,” Anishimova said. “I love you so much.”
Just entered the Grand Slam Finals – for boot after eliminating first-place Alina Sabalenka in the semi-finals – a considerable success for 23-year-old Anishimoba, born in New Jersey and raised in Florida from the age of three.
She was a top teenager and quickly won the professional mark by beating Cocogoff in the 2017 US Open Junior Final and reaching the French Open Quarter Final two years later.
In May 2023, she announced she was taking a mental health break from tour due to burnout.
Anisimova returned to action in 2024, but failed to qualify for the tournament as her ranking, 189th place, just 12 months ago, was too low for an automatic entry into the field at events like Wimbledon.
“No matter what happens today,” Swiatek told her, “You should be proud of the work you are doing.”
On Saturday, she became the second woman in the open era that began in 1968, reaching the Grand Slam final a year later after losing in qualifying. And now she’s breaking into the top ten for the first time.
After the match, she told the team she was grateful for “just taking care of me” during “the entire journey of the past year.”
“I know it wasn’t good enough today, but I’m going to continue working,” Anishimoba said. “And I always believe in myself, so I hope to come back here someday.”
