WIMBLEDON, England — Amanda Anisimova upset No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at Wimbledon on Thursday to reach the first Grand Slam final of her career a little more than a year after taking a break from tennis because of burnout.
The 13th-seeded Anisimova, who was born in New Jersey and grew up in Florida, was playing in her second major semifinal after losing at that stage at the 2019 French Open at age 17.
In May 2023, she took time off from the tour, saying she had been ” struggling with my mental health ” for nearly a year.
Anisimova will face either Iga Swiatek or Belinda Bencic on Saturday for the trophy.
For Sabalenka, who replaced Swiatek at No. 1 in October, this defeat prevented her from becoming the first woman to reach four consecutive Grand Slam finals since Serena Williams a decade ago.
