Wimbledon 2025 semi-final recap - The USA’s 13th seed Amanda Anisimova stuns world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a deciding set to reach the final

She’s done it!

Amanda Anisimova is into her maiden Grand Slam final!

Six years on from her first appearance in a major semi-final at Roland-Garros, the American realises her dream by reaching the final Saturday of Wimbledon 2025.

The 13th seed shrugs off the disappointment of blowing match point while serving for it and breaks again on a fourth MP to clinch a shock victory in two hours and 37 minutes on Centre Court.  

It means top seed Aryna Sabalenka falls short at the semi-final hurdle for a third time in SW19.

Anisimova will now meet Iga Swiatek or Belinda Bencic in Saturday’s final.

Sabalenka feels more heat when she nets a forehand and is undone by a bewitching short slice from the American.

The top seed then slams a forehand long and it’s THREE more match points for the underdog…

Amanda sizzles a return a whisker long to miss the first and is frustrated when Sab links the edges of lines to save the second...

But she gets it done with a foreyhand to the corner!

Lifeline!

Sabalenka presses from the off and defends brilliantly at 30-30 to lure a backhand long and earn break back point.

Anisimova lands a clutch serve to reach deuce and is then brave on a second serve to tee up match point…

But no!

The American drags a forehand wide and suddenly faces a second BP when Saba slams away a bounce smash.

The focus drifts with the 13th seed and she booms another drive long to hand over the break.

So near, yet so far!

Sabalenka motors through a clean hold to pose the serve-out question.

Anisimova is one game away from the Wimbledon final.

The American opens with a double fault and falters on the forehand but hits back from 15-30, producing some brilliant volleying at the net before a forehand on the run clips the tape and has her raising her arm aloft in delight.

She’s so relieved she doesn’t even apologise for the slice of fortune.

Sabalenka surges back from 0-30 but coughs up another break point when Aryna’s pick-up off a wonderful cat and mouse point lands a whisker wide.

The Belarusian hits clutch mode on serve to zoom to deuce and wriggle out of dodge.

Anisimova can’t find her first serve and wobbles her way to 0-30.

Sabalenka lures her in with a short slice and then produces a delicious crosscourt backhand pass to tee up two break back points.

The top seed fluffs the first and then drags a backhand into the net on the second.

The 13th seed wins a delightful drop-off exchange to dig out a backhand pass down the line but then drags a forehand wide.

The American maintains the edge with a super forehand wrong-footer and then gets the crosscourt forehand right to eventually back up her break.

Anisimova sinks to her knees as Saba zaps another incredibly angled forehand winner.

The American then roars with delight when a probing backhand down the line forces the error into the net to make deuce.

Sabalenka finds the net again to cough up break point and then compounds her own misery with an overcooked forehand from close-in.

It was a sitter and one that could haunt her if Amanda hangs on to this lead…

Sabalenka nails the point of the game with extreme angle on a crosscourt backhand winner from outside her left tramlines, but it’s not enough as Anisimova comes off the rollercoaster from 30-0 to 30-30 and through to the hold.  

That’s an excellent response.

Anisimova looked to be flatlining a bit, but comes out all guns blazing to force deuce.

The relentless pace and depth of her returns keep catching Aryna at her baseline and on the second break back point the top seed buckles with a stray forehand that drifts just wide.

Oof.

That’s a shocker from Anisimova.

The American looks a yard short and hasn’t cleared her mind.

A succession of shots hit the net and Sabalenka breaks to love to get off to a flyer in this third set.

It’s a touch twitchy but Sabalenka overcomes a double fault and a tense moment at 30-30 to serve out the set and force a decider.

Anisimova hustles hard after throwing down a double fault but is pegged at Pulp (30-30) when Sabalenka crushes a short-angled crosscourt forehand.

The Belarusian unloads on a stonking return to tee up set point but Amanda guns a forehand down the line to make deuce.

Sabalenka keeps on coming and booms a thunderous backhand deep to the baseline to earn a second chance but follows that by dragging a second serve return into the net.   

The 13th seed saves a third set point with a well-timed first serve before Saba somehow claws back an overhead to cap some incredible defence with a backhand pass on the stretch.

The world number one then stands with hands on hips as she skews a backhand under pressure long to miss the fourth SP.

Anisimova finally regains her composure and after pummelling away a stunning crosscourt backhand, Sab lets her out of dodge with a tame return into the net.  

Anisimova unloads on the return as she puts all of her frustration from the previous game into her strikes.

Sabalenka responds with clutch serving, following up a delicate touch at the net with a rocket of an ace to consolidate in style.

Anisimova suddenly unravels from 30-0 up, failing to bypass the net off both wings in three points in succession.

The 13th seed is strangely tight throughout and the double fault that ends the game sums up her mood and current emotions.

Anisimova unleashes another backhand down the line and seems to speak before the point is over.

Sabalenka is not impressed and screams to let off some steam when she lands a clutch serve to steady the ship.

There’s more roaring from the Belarusian as she escapes from 30-30, landing big serves and a plus-one to edge the hold.

Sabalenka lets out an anguished squeal as she drags a backhand return wide.

She follows it with another as this time her forehand falters with a return into the net and Anisimova seals the clean hold in a little over a minute.

Sabalenka kicks off with a beauty of a backhand re-direct down the line and then finishes a game to 15 with the flourish of a wide ace.

All square in the second!

Sabalenka can sense a slight dip in the American’s rhythm but can’t make enough in-roads at deuce.

The Belarusian doesn’t have a clear game-plan right now and that often leads to her over-hitting, which is the case when she slams a mid-court rallying ball way off the island to let her opponent off the hook.