Amanda Anisimova will face Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final after battling to a thrilling win over world No1 Aryna Sabalenka.
The 23-year-old American was playing in only her second Grand Slam semi-final but showed no signs of nerves as she went toe-to-toe with the top seed over two hours and 38 minutes on Centre Court.
Anisimova served for the match in the decider at 5-3 and was broken, but quickly recovered to break for a 6-4 4-6 6-4 victory in the following game.
It was far more routine for Swiatek, the eighth seed, who swatted aside Belinda Bencic 6-2 6-0 to reach a first Wimbledon final.
The five-time Grand Slam champion, who has won every major final she has played in, has previously struggled on grass, but there have been far more encouraging signs this season and she was in ruthless form in hammering Bencic.
Anisimova reached the French Open semi-final as a 17-year-old in 2019 and then made it to the quarter-finals at SW19 three years ago, but this is already the best Grand Slam performance of her career.
"This doesn't feel real right now,” she said after beating Sabalenka.
“Aryna is such a tough competitor. I was dying out there. She's such an incredible competitor, such an inspiration to me and so many other players.
“We had so many tough battles and to come on top today to get into the final at Wimbledon is incredibly special.”
Anisimova stepped away from tennis in 2023, citing burnout and mental health concerns. Before reaching the final at Queen’s last month, she had never made it to the semi-finals of a grass-court tournament.
"To be honest if you told me I would be in the final of Wimbledon I would not believe you,” she said.
“Especially not this soon. It's been a year's turnaround. So many dream of competing on this court. To be in the final is just indescribable, honestly."
The second semi-final did not prove to be as competitive, despite Bencic coming into it in good form after beating teenager Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals.
Swiatek, though, raced into a 3-0 lead within ten minutes of the opening set and did not look back from there.
The eighth seed, who had previously made it past the fourth round at Wimbledon only once, hit 26 winners in a clinical display.
Bencic had two break points in the first game of the second set, but could not take either and did not win another game.
Swiatek has now reached a Grand Slam final on all three surfaces and has the chance to win only a second major title away from the clay courts of Roland Garros.
"I never dreamt it would be possible for me to play in the final,” Swiatek said.
“Tennis keeps surprising me. I thought I lived through everything.”
