Sabalenka beats Anisimova in classic - World number one Aryna Sabalenka beats Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to set up final with Elena Rybakina
A. Sabalenka vs A. Anisimova | WTA Finals
Women's Singles | Semi-final | 07.11.2025 | Center Court
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A. Sabalenka (1)
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A. Anisimova (4)
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Updated 07/11/2025 at 21:02 GMT
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20:21
SABALENKA PREVAILS IN MATCH OF THE YEAR CONTENDER
For much of the last two sets it felt like Amanda Anisimova was playing the more inspired tennis but the world number one Aryna Sabalenka prevailed to set up a WTA Finals meeting with Elena Rybakina.
The match was one of great quality, lasting 2 hours and 21 minutes, and saw the Belarussian win 6-3 3-6 6-3.
The first set was full of drama, with 94 points played over the space of nine games. Sabalenka broke to go 3-2 up, then battled to saved her own serve before securing a double break in the last game.
Anisimova started the second set in incredible form taking a 4-0 lead and though Sabalenka secured a break back, the American won once more on her opponent's serve to force the third set.
The third set began with both serving very well before the seventh game where Sabalenka snatched the advantage - and that advantage was rubber-stamped when Anisimova couldn't hold serve to save the game.
Sabalenka will now face Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina, who defeated Jessica Pegula 4-6 6-4 6-3 in the earlier semi-final.
20:07
SABALENKA WINS 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Two unforced errors, one into the net, one long puts Anisimova 15-30 down.
A fine return puts her under pressure and she can only send another into the net.
She was then inches from a winning passing shot, meaning Sabalenka prevails in a wonderful game.
20:03
ANISIMOVA 3-5 SABALENKA
Sabalenka hits a backhand long but Anisimova then hits one return into the net and then a wild one puts the Belarussian 30-15 up.
After an error brought parity, Sabalenka produces a fantastic passing shot to give her game point but then fires long in a powerful exchange.
Sabalenka then risks a quick second serve with a double fault giving Anisimova a break point, but a big serve snuffs out the chance.
The next huge serve leaves Anisimova on her knees after an errant return and her next one is long, leaving Sabalenka a game away from the final.
19:55
BREAK: ANISIMOVA 3-4 SABALENKA
The rally of the match sees Sabalenka twice save herself when the point looked gone before Anisimova hit the back line to take it.
Almost as good a point sees Sabalenka win with a passing shot from behind the baseline to go 15-30 up.
Anisimova then has a poor miss with a forehand and a big gap to shoot into to give up two break points.
Naturally, an ace follows but Sabalenka returns above her head powering down the line on her backhand.
19:51
ANISIMOVA 3-3 SABALENKA
Sabalenka dramatically holds her hand to her mouth after taking a drop shot too high and missing but, typically, she responds with an ace to go 40-15 up.
A good return from the backhand side before a Sabalenka error hitting into the net brings the score back to deuce.
Two more aces and the game goes to the Belarussian.
19:45
ANISIMOVA 3-2 SABALENKA
A sparkling backhand down the line which would have won the point against two Sabalenkas puts Anisimova 40-15 up.
This time round she makes no mistake from an easy winner which follows and she takes a comfortable game.
19:42
ANISIMOVA 2-2 SABALENKA
Sabalenka is holding her serve the more comfortable of the two at present.
It still feels like Anisimova is playing the more inspired tennis, but mixed in with unforced errors.
19:38
ANISIMOVA 2-1 SABALENKA
Set point is set up after a big Anisimova miss from a simple forehand begging to be put away as she approaches the net.
She saves it with a fantastic serve down the centre line and wins a groundstroke war to set up game point but misses a forehand down the line.
Two fantastic serves later and the American has won the game.
19:34
ANISIMOVA 1-1 SABALENKA
Maybe this will be a different set altogether to the other two.
Two service games no deuces. Like they're playing a different match.
19:32
ANISIMOVA 1-0 SABALENKA
Third set starts similarly to the last, with Anisimova comfortably holding serve.
She lost just a solitary point and will surely put pressuere on Sabalenka's serve now.
19:24
2ND SET! ANISIMOVA 6-3 SABALENKA
"Let's go!" Anisimova shouts as she goes 0-30 up with her clever angled returns bamboozling Sabalenka.
The Belarussian then produces a fine passing shot but another winner from the American creates two break points.
She only needs one as Sabalenka hits a backhand long.
We have a decider! It's only right given the quality on show.
19:21
BREAK POINT! ANISIMOVA 5-3 SABALENKA
Two unforced errors, one into the net and one long, give Sabalenka a 0-30 advantage.
But Anisimova responds by hitting the outside of the line from a forehand and a second-serve ace to keep herself in the game.
Her serve then lets her down as a double fault sets up a break point and then a second serve is weak and Sabalenka's powered return leads to an error.
19:16
ANISIMOVA 5-2 SABALENKA
Even the world number one doesn't know how to deal with this as she sees Anisimova power a backhand past her, but she rides the storm and wins the game without a break point or deuce.
19:13
ANISIMOVA 5-1 SABALENKA
Absolutely irrepressible from Anisimova with her serve powering her to 40-0 in front.
Of course she then misses her next three serves, but still produces a wonderful inside-out forehand to go 5-1 up.
19:08
ANISIMOVA 4-1 SABALENKA
A better service game from Sabalenka but still she is forced into multiple deuces - mainly due to the quality of Anisimova's returns.
A round-arm volley smashes the world number one to game point and a rare wild return finally gets her on the board in the set.
19:02
ANISIMOVA 4-0 SABALENKA
Sabalenka responds as you'd expect the world number one to, putting her opponent under pressure and going 0-30 up.
Anisimova's first ace right on the centre line brings it back to 30-30. After saving a break point, her serve gets her out of trouble again earning her advantage from deuce and then her deep groundstrokes forces another error from Sabalenka.
18:57
BREAK! ANISIMOVA 3-0 SABALENKA
Anisimova lifting her game when she needed to. Punishing a short second serve with a crashing forehand to go 0-30 up.
Sabalenka then makes an unforced error from a backhand to put her 3-0 up. Who saw this coming?
18:54
ANISIMOVA 2-0 SABALENKA
The first love hold of the match. Each point was still a battle but that must seem a great relief for Anisimova.
BREAK! ANISIMOVA 1-0 SABALENKA
Sabalenka misses with a cross-court forehand on game point and then another sets up a break point for Anisimova.
A good deep backhand then forces Sabalenka into a miss-hit which sees an early break and a welcome boon for the American.
18:45
1ST SET: ANISIMOVA 3-6 SABALENKA
Unforced errors put Anisimova 0-40 down on her serve and though she won two points with powerful shots, she hit another backhand long to gift Sabalenka victory.
What a set! It lasted exactly an hour.