As Wimbledon’s iconic grass readies for its high-stakes semifinal showdowns, all eyes are on the lone American left standing, Amanda Anisimova. Carrying the nation’s hopes, she braces for a fiery clash against the top-seeded tigress Aryna Sabalenka, admitting, “It’s going to be another super tough match.” But behind her relentless surge lies the unsung hero keeping her firing on all cylinders, her trusted physio, Shadi Soleymani. The driving force behind her fitness, Soleymani has worked quietly, ensuring Amanda stays sharp, strong, and unbreakable through the grind of the Championships. So, let’s pull back the curtain on the expert hands fueling this fearless Wimbledon run.

Who is Shadi Soleymani?

Born in Sweden and molded by top-tier training in Canada and the US, Shadi Soleymani is more than just a physiotherapist; she’s a tactical force behind some of tennis’s brightest names. A former college tennis player, Soleymani brought her on-court instincts into the clinic, earning her credentials from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. 

She fused her athletic edge with deep expertise in chiropractic biomechanics and contemporary medical acupuncture, creating a unique toolkit to keep elite athletes firing on all cylinders through the sport’s grueling demands.

In early 2025, Soleymani stepped into Amanda Anisimova’s corner just as the American star was navigating her comeback from a mental health hiatus. Since then, her presence has been a game-changer. “I started working with Shadi this year,” the American tennis ace said of Shadi Soleymani, who is her physiotherapist, and so much more. “She’s been a huge addition to my team.”

With precision, patience, and power, Soleymani has managed Anisimova’s recovery and resilience, helping her soar through the rounds at Wimbledon. Before joining Team Amanda, she lent her expertise to Zheng Qinwen, earning praise for her biomechanical sharpness. 

Now, her touch and timing have become central to Amanda’s resurgence on grass. Quietly but critically, Soleymani is the steady heartbeat behind Anisimova’s revival, turning physical setbacks into fuel and shaping a comeback story that’s capturing hearts and headlines.

How Soleymani joined Amanda Anisimova’s team

In April 2025, Amanda Anisimova made a game-changing move by adding Shadi Soleymani to her corner, a call that turned out to be gold. After stepping away for a mental-health reset, she needed more than just belief; she needed a body that could hold up under pressure. Enter Soleymani, a biomechanics-savvy physio whose mastery of injury prevention and recovery became the secret fuel behind Amanda’s resurgence. 

From the outset, she worked relentlessly, sculpting daily routines, fine-tuning treatments, and ensuring her body could withstand the grass-court grind. In a July 7th interview at the All England Club’s player garden, Soleymani even stated, “I’m on her like a mother.”

As Wimbledon loomed, Soleymani was the architect behind her physical edge, the one quietly keeping her moving, mobile, and mission-ready. His touch was scientific, his methods sharp, using recovery tools and rehab regimens crafted for the chaos of Centre Court. And through every punishing rally and backhand slide, it was Soleymani’s unseen hand that helped Anisimova stay unbreakable.

Injury management and recovery plan

Shadi Soleymani’s influence on Amanda Anisimova’s Wimbledon revival has been nothing short of masterful. Her game plan? A precision-engineered blueprint for injury management that turned setbacks into stepping stones. Amanda, who had long battled wrist tendonitis and lower back tightness, found relief and revival under his watchful eye. 

Soleymani dialed in on the pain points with a rehab routine built on manual therapy, rotational mobility drills, dynamic stretches, and deep myofascial release. The goal wasn’t just recovery, it was transformation. And it worked. Her body began responding with power and durability, match after match.

But Soleymani didn’t stop there. She recalibrated her entire daily rhythm. Diet? Shifted to anti-inflammatory proteins and healthy fats. Hydration? Timed and tailored to workload. Sleep? Aligned with peak recovery hours. Every detail had a purpose. She blended Amanda’s explosive court sessions with restorative off-court regimens, think breathwork, core control, and focused cooldowns.

Anisimova, she added, was also a heavy coffee drinker, but she didn’t drink much water. She had trouble sleeping because of the caffeine. Soleymani instructed her to stop drinking coffee after six o’clock. And Anisimova sleeps much better now.

The final piece? Lifestyle and nutrition aligned like clockwork. Timed protein intake post-practice, clean fuel before matches, and a calm mental space between. With Soleymani at her side, Amanda didn’t just return, she roared back. Her body no longer breaks down; it locks in. Her game? Steady, sharp, and soaring. The comeback has become a full-blown statement.

Impact on Amanda’s 2025 season and Wimbledon run

Shadi Soleymani’s entry into Amanda Anisimova’s inner circle in early 2025 rewrote the script of her season. Tasked with managing chronic wrist tendonitis and lower-back tightness, Soleymani brought a precision-based recovery plan, manual therapy, rotational mobility circuits, dynamic stretches, and myofascial work. Her strategy didn’t just soothe the pain; it toughened Amanda’s frame for the long haul, allowing her to dig deep in back-to-back grueling matches at both Doha and Wimbledon without breaking stride.

But her influence didn’t stop at injury rehab. Soleymani fine-tuned every layer of Anisimova’s performance routine, overhauling her nutrition with an anti-inflammatory blueprint, scheduling hydration cycles to match intensity, and aligning sleep patterns with peak recovery windows.

She stitched explosive court sessions with breathwork and joint recovery drills off-court. The result? A reborn Amanda, who claimed the Qatar 1000 crown and marched into her 1st Wimbledon semifinal in six years. In every sense, this has been the resurgence of a warrior.

Now, with Sabalenka standing between her and a place in the Wimbledon final, the challenge is immense, but can Amanda Anisimova rise to the occasion and raise the American flag high at the Championships?