The American dream at Wimbledon collapsed early, with Coco Gauff, the reigning Roland Garros queen, bowing out shockingly in the opening round. Following her exit, Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, and Emma Navarro all fell, leaving the nation without its usual firepower. But one name stood tall: Amanda Anisimova. Once ranked outside the Top 400 after a mental health break, the 23-year-old has surged back to match her best Slam result and will break into the Top 10 next week. Now, standing between her and a place in the final is Aryna Sabalenka, the relentless Belarusian chasing her third Slam final of the year. Can Amanda rise, defy the odds, and repeat what Coco Gauff did at the French Open?

Aryna Sabalenka has blazed an undeniable trail through 2025, building one of the most consistent and dominant runs on tour. Her clay-court campaign was spectacular: finalist in Stuttgart, champion in Madrid, and runner-up at Roland Garros. Although her grass-court swing started with a surprising semifinal loss to Marketa Vondrousova in Berlin, where she went down 2-6, 4-6, Sabalenka recalibrated quickly. At Wimbledon, she’s turned heads once again, dismantling Carson Branstine, Marie Bouzkova, Emma Raducanu, and Elise Mertens in straight sets to reach her 11th consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal.

That smooth sailing hit turbulence in the quarters. Facing Laura Siegemund, Sabalenka had to dig deep, clawing back from a set and a break down to prevail 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. It wasn’t her cleanest performance, but it showed once again her biggest strength, mental resilience. Fans were captivated when she later revealed she had thought about “booking the flight home” during the match. 

But champions find a way, and Sabalenka, with her booming serve and raw baseline aggression, has powered into her third straight Wimbledon semifinal, aiming for a third Grand Slam final in a row this year. Of course, she will be hoping to snap out of what seems to be a Grand Slam finals curse this year, having suffered losses against Madison Keys and Coco Gauff at the Australian Open and French Open, respectively. 

Meanwhile, Amanda Anisimova is a player who has come roaring back into tennis relevance with one of the best campaigns of her career. She opened her Wimbledon with a statement, a 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Yulia Putintseva, and hasn’t looked back. Wins over Renata Zarazúa, Dalma Galfi, and Linda Noskova, and a tense, two-set thriller against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova have landed her in her first Grand Slam semifinal since the 2019 Roland Garros. She now boasts 11 wins on grass this year, more than any other WTA player.

Anisimova’s self-belief is blooming again. “I’m really looking forward to the experience. I mean, I’m going to be playing against a No. 1 in a semifinal of Wimbledon,” she said. Her confidence has inspired fans and pundits alike, with tennis legends like Vania King and Mike Bryan backing her to go all the way. Her quarterfinal performance against Pavlyuchenkova, where she saved four set points in the breaker to win 6-1, 7-6(9), was a perfect showcase of her guts and fire.

Their head-to-head tilts the numbers slightly in Amanda’s favor. She leads Sabalenka 5–3 overall, a notable edge that includes big wins early in their careers. However, Sabalenka has turned the tide in recent meetings, winning three of the last four encounters, including a straight-sets win, 7-5, 6-3, on the clay of Roland Garros just last month. While the H2H adds intrigue, this will be their first meeting on grass, a surface where both have shown dangerous form this season.

Sabalenka, the three-time Grand Slam winner, will come in as the favorite. Her powerful serve, improved movement, and battle-hardened composure in tight moments make her the complete package. 

Yet, her shaky performance against Siegemund, whose slices and junk-ball style disrupted rhythm, revealed that she’s not invincible. Anisimova’s game doesn’t mirror Siegemund’s, but if she can apply constant pressure and stay sharp on serve, she has the firepower to cause real problems.

This semifinal promises heavy hitting, roaring winners, and sheer intensity. Both women are fueled by history, Sabalenka chasing a calendar-year Slam final trifecta, and Anisimova pursuing her first-ever major final after rising from the shadows. The crowd will buzz with anticipation, the court will crackle with drama.

And while the odds lean toward the Belarusian, Amanda Anisimova is no underdog in spirit. She’ll look to channel the same fire Coco Gauff showed in her Roland Garros final win over Sabalenka just a month ago. Backed by legends, fueled by belief, and driven by redemption, Anisimova is writing her own comeback story. Wimbledon’s script isn’t done yet, and this next chapter could be hers.

Andy Roddick backs Amanda Anisimova to defeat Sabalenka

There’s no shortage of eye-popping numbers at Wimbledon this year, but one statistic cuts through the noise: if Aryna Sabalenka defeats Amanda Anisimova, she’ll storm into her fourth consecutive Grand Slam final, a feat last accomplished by Serena Williams nearly a decade ago. 

Sabalenka is also on the cusp of becoming the first woman since Angelique Kerber and Serena in 2016 to reach three major finals in a single season. The fire in her eyes isn’t just ambition, it’s hunger forged through grit, dominance, and a relentless desire for greatness.

But Amanda Anisimova is no footnote. She’s a full-blown comeback story powered by purpose. Now, she’s on the verge of her first Grand Slam final and is set to break into the WTA Top 10 for the first time in her career.

At just 23, Anisimova is already making her own kind of history; she’s the youngest American woman to reach the Wimbledon semifinals since Serena in 2004. And the numbers behind her surge tell a compelling tale: 11 grass-court wins this season, the most of any WTA player. With a 26–12 career record on grass and a 68.42% win rate, she edges slightly ahead of Sabalenka’s 67.21%. Her clean, powerful ball-striking and calm under pressure match the moment.

Adding fuel to the fire is Andy Roddick, who has thrown his full support behind the American. On a recent episode of his “Served” podcast, the former US Open champion laid it all out. “I don’t know what the odds are, but if you’re looking at like a three or four to one, Amanda Anisimova’s in with a shot,” Roddick said. His belief in her is not just hopeful, it’s tactical. He sees a fighter, a stylistic matchup ready to trouble the No. 1 seed on Centre Court.

“She’s got a puncher chance for sure. She can create speed through the middle of the court,” Roddick continued. “This service is going to do her some favors. Now, the moment and everything else, we’ll see. But this is the opposite matchup for Sabalenka that it was against Laura Siegemund.” The message is clear: this isn’t a mismatch, it’s a collision waiting to erupt.

The blockbuster semifinal between Amanda Anisimova and Aryna Sabalenka takes center stage today. Fans can catch the action live on ESPN, ESPN2, and Tennis Channel, while streaming is available through Fubo and ESPN+. And for every ace, twist, and turning point, stay locked into our Live Blog for real-time updates from the heart of The Championships.