The 2025 Wimbledon Championships delivered a seismic upset on Thursday, July 10, as world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was knocked out in the women’s semi-finals by a resurgent Amanda Anisimova. The dramatic 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 defeat on Centre Court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club shattered Sabalenka’s hopes of reaching her first Wimbledon final and becoming the first woman in a decade to contest four consecutive Grand Slam finals. The Belarusian, a three-time major champion, showed a mix of grace, frustration, and humor in her post-match reflections, determined to avoid a repeat of her controversial French Open press conference while still airing grievances about her opponent’s on-court behavior.
Sabalenka, who had reached the finals of the US Open in 2024 and both the Australian and French Opens in 2025, was a heavy favorite to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish. Her powerful baseline game and relentless aggression had carried her to a 12-1 record in her first 13 Grand Slam quarter-finals, a feat shared with legends like Serena Williams and Chris Evert. Yet, against the 13th-seeded Anisimova, Sabalenka’s game faltered under the blazing Centre Court heat. The American, who took an eight-month mental health break in 2023, matched Sabalenka’s firepower with fearless shot-making. “She was more brave today,” Sabalenka admitted. “Maybe when I was just trying to stay in the point, she was going for all. She was playing more aggressive.”
The match, which lasted over two hours and was delayed for 20 minutes due to a spectator suffering heatstroke—an incident where Sabalenka assisted by providing water—saw the Belarusian struggle with 37 unforced errors. Two moments particularly irked her. In the second set, Anisimova celebrated a point prematurely, prompting Sabalenka to remark, “I was just trying to chase the ball. She was already celebrating it. I mean, that’s a bit too early.” Another incident in the third set, where Anisimova didn’t apologize after a net-cord point, further fueled her frustration. “I was like, ‘You don’t want to say sorry?’ She just wanted, I guess, badly to win this match,” Sabalenka said. “If she doesn’t feel like saying sorry for that tricky situation, that’s on her.” Her comments hinted at lingering tension, though she praised Anisimova’s tenacity, noting, “I mean, she’s an aggressive player. I think all of the matches we played, they all have been, like, really tight and close.”
Determined to avoid the backlash she faced after her French Open final loss to Coco Gauff, where she attributed her defeat to her own errors rather than Gauff’s play, Sabalenka opened her press conference with a wry smile. “Are you guys waiting for something? You’re not going to see a Roland Garros press conference, so anyone who was waiting for that, you can leave right now,” she quipped, referencing the criticism she received for her “unprofessional” remarks in Paris. There, her claim that Gauff “won the match not because she played incredible” sparked controversy, leading to a private apology and a public mea culpa. “I just don’t want to face that hate again,” she explained. “We all can lose control over our emotions. It’s absolutely normal. Even right now I took a bit more time before doing my media just so I can be Aryna, not that crazy person that was at that media day at Roland Garros.”
Despite the loss, Sabalenka’s character shone through. Her act of kindness during the heatstroke delay and her attempt to remain composed in defeat highlighted her growth. “The first moment is always the worst one, because every time you compete at that tournament, and you get to the last stages, you think that you’re getting close to your dream,” she said, capturing the sting of falling short. Her 47-9 win-loss record in 2025 and three titles this year underscore her dominance, but Wimbledon remains elusive. “I have a hate relationship with Wimbledon now,” she admitted, reflecting on her third semi-final exit at the All England Club.
Anisimova, now set to face Iga Swiatek in the final, earned a significant rankings boost with her victory, marking her second Grand Slam semi-final after the 2019 French Open. Sabalenka, meanwhile, vowed to return stronger. “Tough defeats help me come back stronger,” she posted on X, signaling her resilience. As the tennis world buzzes with anticipation for the women’s final, Sabalenka’s exit serves as a reminder of the sport’s unpredictability and her own complex journey—one of power, passion, and a quest for redemption on the grass courts of SW19.
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