Iga Swiatek has finally cracked the code on grass courts. The 24-year-old from Poland, known for her dominance on clay and hard courts, stormed into her first Wimbledon final with a commanding 6-2, 6-0 victory over Belinda Bencic on Thursday.
“I never even dreamed that I’d be playing in the final here,” Swiatek shared after her swift 71-minute win at Centre Court. “Tennis keeps surprising me. I thought I’d experienced everything on the court, but playing well on grass is a first for me.”
Swiatek, who has already clinched four French Open titles and one U.S. Open, has spent much of the past three years as the world’s top-ranked player. Yet, Wimbledon success had eluded her until now, never advancing beyond the quarterfinals.
Her journey to the final wasn’t without hints of promise. Just before Wimbledon, she reached her first grass-court final at the Bad Homburg Open in Germany. Although she fell to Jessica Pegula in that match, it signified a breakthrough on the surface.
Awaiting Swiatek in the final is 23-year-old Amanda Anisimova from the United States. Anisimova secured her spot by upsetting world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 semifinal clash.
“This doesn’t feel real right now,” Anisimova exclaimed after her two-hour and 36-minute battle. “I was absolutely dying out there. I don’t know how I pulled it out.”
Just two years ago, Anisimova stepped away from tennis due to burnout. A year ago, she was fighting through Wimbledon qualifiers with a ranking of 189. Now, she’s set to make her Grand Slam final debut and is guaranteed a spot in the WTA’s top 10.
“If you told me I’d be in the Wimbledon final, I wouldn’t believe you,” she laughed. “It’s been a year of turning things around. To be in this spot isn’t easy… it’s just indescribable.”
Saturday’s match promises to be historic, as the winner will become the eighth consecutive first-time women’s champion at Wimbledon. Swiatek, with her flawless 5-0 record in Grand Slam finals, brings experience, while Anisimova seeks to cap off her remarkable comeback story.
For Sabalenka, the loss was a bitter pill, denying her the chance to reach four consecutive Grand Slam finals—a feat last achieved by Serena Williams a decade ago.
As the world watches, Swiatek and Anisimova are set to showcase the next generation of tennis talent on one of the sport’s grandest stages.
