Iga Świątek stayed cool under pressure on Thursday, delivering a masterclass against Belinda Bencic in their Wimbledon semifinal on SW19. Grass has often been a tricky surface for her, but she needed just 71 minutes to sweep the Swiss player in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0. Now, heading into her first-ever Wimbledon final, she’ll face Amanda Anisimova, who shocked the world by knocking out World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Despite the high stakes, Iga has nothing but praise for her American opponent.

Amanda burst onto the scene in 2017, two years before Iga, with a blazing start, winning the US Open junior title just a week after turning 16, beating Coco Gauff in straight sets. But her path hasn’t been smooth. In May 2023, Amanda took an indefinite break from tennis to focus on her mental health and burnout, following a tough period after her father and coach Konstantin passed away in 2022.

While Amanda faced these challenges, Iga was already collecting major titles and making waves on tour. Despite their different journeys, the two have known each other since they were juniors. Iga Świątek expressed genuine admiration for Amanda’s comeback in her post-match press conference: “Anybody who struggles and gets back at a better level deserves a lot of respect. For sure Amanda is one of these players that kept going forward in tough situations. I always wish her the best. We’ve known each other since juniors.” It’s shaping up to be a reunion and an exciting match.

Anisimova’s win over Sabalenka was a lesson in seizing moments amid chaos. With 79 unforced errors in the match, it wasn’t the mistakes but the key opportunities that decided the outcome. The New Jersey-born American, daughter of Russian émigré parents, stayed calm under pressure and clinched the win 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. This victory sends her to her first Grand Slam final—a feat no young American woman has achieved at Wimbledon since Serena Williams in 2004.

Amanda’s incredible run at Wimbledon 2025 has earned her widespread praise across the tennis world. While Iga showers her with compliments, Amanda is sending that positive energy right back, setting the stage for a thrilling final showdown.

Anisimova on facing Iga Świątek in the finals

Both Anisimova and Świątek are stepping onto the Wimbledon final stage for the first time, each eager to claim the iconic Venus Rosewater Dish at SW19. After her tough battle against the top seed, Amanda had nothing but admiration for her upcoming opponent: “Iga is such an unbelievable player. She’s also been an inspiration to me. Her work ethic and all of her achievements have been really inspiring. I’m sure it will be an amazing match.”

While grass courts have sometimes challenged Iga, her power and presence on the court are undeniable. Of her five major titles, four are from Roland Garros, earning her the nickname ‘Queen of Clay,’ with the other from the US Open. Following her semifinal win over Belinda Bencic, Iga now holds the 10th-highest winning percentage in Women’s Singles Grand Slam events during the Open Era.

She recently surpassed Evonne Goolagong to crack the top 10 and sits just two spots behind Billie Jean King, who holds eighth place with an 84.1 percent win rate. As Amanda put it, “Yeah, getting to compete against an unbelievable player again is going to be super special.”

Now, the spotlight is on these two first-time Wimbledon finalists to see who will rise and claim the title. Will an American lift the trophy, or will Iga Świątek add another major to her growing collection? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Stay tuned for all the Wimbledon action with our Live Blog!