Anisimova returns stronger after Wimbledon nightmare

One year on from a double bagel final defeat to Iga Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova returns to the All England Club with resilience from a series of setbacks, writes Flo Clifford

- Flo Clifford

A year on from a final to forget, Amanda Anisimova returns to the All England Club.

The 24-year-old could be forgiven for having mixed feelings about walking back through the gates at Wimbledon, having experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows imaginable on its hallowed turf.

Her march through the draw at last year’s tournament to her first major final was hugely impressive. The final itself, a 6-0 6-0 drubbing by Iga Swiatek, the first of that scoreline at Wimbledon in over a century, was neatly summed up by her then coach as “the worst off day we have ever experienced”.

That tragic, terrible day at the office was soon forgotten, however. Six weeks later, the American avenged it by defeating Swiatek at the US Open and made it back to a grand slam final.

Any fears that the scoreline and the experience might be replicated were soon allayed. Far from being “frozen with nerves”, as she was at SW19, there were glimpses of Anisimova’s potent brand of first-strike tennis, and she was unlucky not to take the final against Aryna Sabalenka to a deciding set, missing opportunities late in the second as she lost 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).

It wasn’t necessarily a vintage performance from a player who, at her best, is one of the purest, most destructive ball-strikers on the tour. But it put her back on track and demonstrated how far she had come.