Amanda Anisimova in shock after nightmare Wimbledon final
The American's first grand slam final quickly turned from a dream into a nightmare, with Iga Swiatek needing just 57 minutes to record a 6-0 6-0 victory.
Anisimova is only the third woman ever to lose a major final without winning a game, and the first at Wimbledon since 1911.
Iga Swiatek consoles Amanda Anisimova following the final (Adam Davy/PA)
'It was a bit tough to digest obviously, especially during and right after,' said the 23-year-old, who cried before and during her on-court speech.
'It's not how I would have wanted my first grand slam final to go. I think I was a little bit in shock after, as well. But I told myself, I'll definitely come out stronger after this.
'I mean, that's not an easy thing to go through, losing love and love in a grand slam final. If anything, I can look at it as a positive and something I can look at as motivation going forward. Obviously there's a lot of things I need to do to progress.'
Prior to the final, Anisimova had been having the best fortnight of her career, with a semi-final victory over Aryna Sabalenka the high point.
"You guys have carried me through this entire Championship" ♥️
It wasn't her day today, but Amanda Anisimova has had an incredible journey at #Wimbledon this year ✨ pic.twitter.com/T8ZtjxJ6XM
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 12, 2025
A first slam final is always a nerve-racking occasion but Anisimova believes her performance was more down to physical fatigue.
'I was nervous, but it wasn't anything out of this world,' she said. 'If anything, I was more excited to go out there and compete.
'I didn't practise yesterday. I think that I was just really fatigued. I could feel it also in my warm-up this morning. I had to take a break after every single rally out there in my warm-up.
'To be able to last two weeks in a grand slam is definitely something that you need to work a lot on. It's not an easy feat. It's my first slam final, so at least I have that experience now.
Amanda Anisimova did not win a game (John Walton/PA)
'I think it's honestly a fork in the road. It's whatever direction you want to go in. I'm going to choose the path of working towards my goals and to try and keep improving, hopefully put myself in more positions and opportunities like today.'
Swiatek is probably the worst opponent to be facing in such a situation, with the Pole one of the best front runners in the sport's history.
She has now won all six of her grand slam finals, and Anisimova said: 'She came out playing very, very well. So all the credit to her. She was able to really play the game she wanted. She definitely made it difficult for me. She's an unbelievable player.'
Anisimova's run has been one of the stories of the fortnight, with the American set to break into the top 10 for the first time 18 months after returning from an eight-month break for mental health reasons.
The Princess of Wales consoles Amanda Anisimova (John Walton/PA)
A teenage prodigy, Anisimova had to cope with the death of her father when she was only 17 and became burned out by the demands and expectations of the sport.
She credited her family with helping her to get to this moment and broke down in her speech while talking about her mother, who flew to London on Saturday morning.
'I'm really fortunate that they're all here, especially in times like this,' said Anisimova. 'I think just receiving all the comfort I can tonight will be super helpful.'
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