Iga Świątek cruised to her first Wimbledon title, dispatching American Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0, just the second time a women's major final has ended in straight sets in the Open Era. Naturally, such a resounding defeat was not easy for Anisimova to process, as the soon-to-be top-10 tennis player broke down into tears before and at the beginning of her post-match interview.
But Anisimova truly became emotional when she began to thank the members of her team, and her mother.
"My mom's put in more work than I have, honestly." ❤️
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 12, 2025
Amanda Anisimova gave a shoutout to her mom after the Wimbledon final 🥺 pic.twitter.com/vm6W0w5F1u
"...My mom's put in more work than I have honestly," Anisimova said as she wiped tears from her eyes. "Guys I'm so sorry... No my mom is the most selfless person I know and she's done everything to get me to this point in my life. So thank you for being here and breaking the superstition of flying in. It's definitely not why I lost today.
"I'm so happy that I get to share this moment and for you to be here and witness this in person. I know you don't get to see me live playing that much anymore because you do so much for my sister and I and you always have so I love you so much..."
Anisimova has been through a lot over the last several years. In May 2023, she announced she was stepping away from tennis, citing burnout as well as the need to prioritize her own mental health. She was also still coping with the tragic death of her father Konstantin, who suddenly passed away at the age of 52 in August 2019.
Anisimova returned to the tennis court in January 2024 and admirably worked her way back to the point where she could play at the level necessary to win a Wimbledon semifinal over the No. 1 player in the world, Aryna Sabalenka. She spoke openly about how she was told she'd never again reach the highest level of professional tennis after her months-long break.
While Saturday's defeat will likely always sting, it shouldn't take away from all that Anisimova has accomplished. She has returned to the highest level of tennis, perhaps playing better than ever.
And she, her mother and her team deserve a ton of credit.
More Wimbledon on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Amanda Anisimova Tearfully Thanked Her Mom in Emotional Speech After Wimbledon Loss.
