Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 Wimbledon finals defeat makes her Scott of the Antarctic
By mid-way through the second set, the American had lost everything bar the will to live, and even that was debatable.
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During breaks the 24-year-old sat on her chair, with her towel over her head. I'm not sure if she was crying, but it looked like it between breaks, as she sometimes threw the towel over her head and heaved – taking either deep breaths, or giving out sobs, but it certainly looked like the latter.
To put this in football terms for you Neanderthals, it was like witnessing an NRL grand final, or a Bledisloe Cup match, where one side is ahead 75-0 with ten minutes to go. Long gone is the expectation of a comeback – the principal interest is, can the one who is so behind just get a point or two, for the sake of human decency, for mercy's sake?
The answer in this case was, yes, with Anisimova scoring a couple of points near the end of the second set. In fact, she even took Swiatek to deuce a couple of times, earning thunderous applause for that achievement alone.
Anisimova is well-liked, and her backstory, well known to this passionate tennis crowd, gave the applause an added intensity. In truth, simply reaching the final after her recent turbulent times was extraordinary. This time last year she was ranked 189 in the world.
A child prodigy who reached the semi-finals of Roland Garros at just 18, she had since struggled with a series of mental health issues and family problems. But this year had came roaring back - winning again and cutting a swathe through her side of the Wimbledon draw to get to this moment.
Until now . . . when it all fell apart. No matter what she did, simply nothing worked, bar the occasional, blistering, cross-court forehand winners. But it was not remotely enough.
When Swiatek hit the final winning shot to end the match, it was a mercy to all. She was Poland's first Wimbledon winner ever, and climbed up into the stands to be with her family and coaches. Good luck to her – a very worthy champion. Anisimova sat in her chair, put her towel over her head, and sobbed.
When interviewed during the trophy ceremony she sobbed some more. But here was where she was so magnificent, emotional and gracious. She could not have been more congratulatory to Świątek, saying, 'You're such an incredible player. It obviously showed today. You've been such an inspiration to me. An unbelievable athlete. You've had such an incredible two weeks here.'
As to the crowd, 'Thank you to everyone who's supported me. It's been an incredible fortnight for me and even though I ran out of gas today and I wish I could have put in a better performance for you today, you guys still lifted me up, so thank you so much.'
Thunderous applause. We loved her! Such grace, after such a scarring experience.
But now she came to her mother, the woman with the dark glasses, herself heaving in the player's box.
'My mom who flew in this morning, I definitely would not be standing here, if not for her… My mom has put in more work than I have honestly. My mom is the most selfless person I know.'
She now stopped to compose herself.
'Guys, I'm so sorry,' she finally continued, before addressing her mother directly. 'Thank you for being here and breaking the superstition of flying in. It's definitely not why I lost today . . .'
It was the way she said it. Her self-mocking made it all the more poignant.
'I'm so happy I get to share this moment and for you to witness this in person. I know you don't get to see me live playing that much any more because you do so much for my sister and I. You always have. I love you so much.'
Honest. She lost the match, hands-down, pens down, but was so magnificent in the speech this day will be remembered for that more than anything.
And besides, it's not as if a hands down drubbing 6-0, 6-0, hasn't happened at Wimbledon before.
Yup, that was when Dorothea Lambert Chambers defeated Dora Boothby 6-0, 6-0 – back in 1911 - about the time Amundsen planted the Norwegian flag on the South Pole for the first time in history. But you'd forgotten that!
Told yers.
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ABC News
16 minutes ago
- ABC News
Amanda Anisimova admits 6-0, 6-0 Wimbledon final loss to Iga Świątek is 'tough to digest'
There were two so-called 'double bagels' — the term used to describe a match finishing with a 6-0, 6-0 scoreline — at this year's Wimbledon. American Amanda Anisimova starred in both. The first one launched the 23-year-old on the path to her first major singles final as she thrashed Yulia Putintseva in the opening round. Sadly for Anisimova, she was on the receiving end of the second and it came at the worst-possible time. In front of a packed Centre Court crowd and millions of television viewers in the final, her hopes of winning the title evaporated in 57 cruel minutes as she was put through the wringer by Poland's Iga Świątek. The only other occasion a Wimbledon singles final was decided by a 6-0, 6-0 scoreline was in 1911 when Dorothea Lambert Chambers beat fellow British player Dora Boothby. It had happened only once at any of the other major finals, in 1988 when Steffi Graf demolished Natasha Zvereva in 34 minutes at the French Open. At least 13th seed Anisimova almost stretched it to an hour. It is customary at the majors for the runner-up to say a few words before the champion following the final. Anisimova probably wished Centre Court would open up and swallow her as she answered questions from former British player Annabel Croft, managing to hold herself together enough to say a few coherent words through the tears. Later, in the relative sanctuary of the media conference room, she was reflective as she spoke of how she had been frozen by nerves in the biggest match of her career. "It was tough to digest," Anisimova said. "It's not how I would have wanted my first grand slam final to go. I think I was in shock afterwards. "It's not an easy thing to go through, losing zero and zero." A sense of perspective is perhaps easier for a player who was marked out as a future major champion as a teenager but who needed to step away from the game for eight months in 2023 as she struggled with burnout and mental health issues. She did not even feature in the Wimbledon main draw last year, losing in the third round of qualifying when she was ranked 189th in the world. So despite how the final panned out, Anisimova preferred to take the positives from a run that included a scintillating semifinal victory against world number one Aryna Sabalenka. "I feel like the last two weeks, if anything, what I've learned it was you're never going to be perfect, and every match is different," Anisimova said. "My fighting spirit has gotten me to the final of today. It wasn't me playing perfect in a way. There were matches where I struggled and I wasn't playing to my full potential. "I think me just staying focused and fighting my way through certain moments and lifting myself up and trying to not get negative on myself was the most important thing. "I think that's really what got me to the final." Reuters
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
6-0 6-0! Swiatek's historic blitz to win Wimbledon
Iga Swiatek has cemented her place as an all-time great of women's tennis with her unprecedented, merciless 6-0 6-0 destruction of Amanda Anisimova in a brutal Wimbledon Centre Court final wipe-out. In blazing sunshine on the Centre Court, Polish great Swiatek made a nonsense of all her previous struggles on grass-courts as she swept to a majestic victory for a sixth grand slam triumph on Saturday in less than an hour. The 'double-bagel' triumph, which lasted just 57 minutes, had never happened in a Wimbledon final in the Open era. The last time it occurred at SW19 was 114 years ago in 1911, when Dorothea Lambert Chambers beat Dora Boothby in an all-British final, while the only modern day equivalent was the 1988 French Open final when Steffi Graf routed Natasha Zvereva. It ensured that at 24, Swiatek becomes the youngest woman since Serena Williams to win majors on all three surfaces after her four French Open titles on clay and her 2022 US Open win. And it prompted her to have a post-title swipe at her critics who've tried to unpick why she hadn't won a title for over a year. "For sure, the past months, how the media sometimes describe me - and I've got to say, unfortunately, Polish media - how they treated me and my team, it wasn't really pleasant," said Swiatek, who had served a one-month doping ban at the end of last season after taking contaminated medication. "I hope they will just leave me alone and let me do my job because obviously you can see that we know what we are doing, and I have the best people around me. "I have already proved a lot. I know people want more and more - but it's my own process and my own life and my own career." Presented with the Venus Rosewater Dish by Kate, the Princess of Wales, Swiatek had delivered a right royal performance, exhibiting machine-like quality with her groundstrokes as Anisimova, the American 13th seed, never recovered from getting broken to 15 in the opening service game. "I think everyone's in a state of shock at what's happened," said three-time Wimbledon champ John McEnroe, echoing everyone's feelings from the commentary box. "Swiatek played someone who absolutely froze. And it was so hard to watch." Inevitably, the tears came for Animisova, whose comeback had been one of the stories of the championship, with the former teenage prodigy having stepped away from tennis for eight months in 2023 to prioritise her mental health. Much was expected after the way she'd beaten world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semis, but she was the first to admit her failings after coughing up 28 mistakes in just a dozen games. "I was a bit frozen there, with my nerves. Maybe the last two weeks I got a bit tired or something," said the 23-year-old, who skipped practice on Friday because of fatigue and felt pain in her right shoulder while warming up before the match. "I ran out of gas today and I wish I could have put on a better performance for you," she told the crowd after paying a tearful tribute to her mum. Nothing, though, could be taken away from Swiatek. She's the eighth consecutive first-time Wimbledon champion, but her's is a name that truly belongs in the event's hall of fame after she'd never previously got beyond the quarter-finals. The first Polish winner at Wimbledon in 148 years had spent 125 weeks as the world No.1 between 2022 and 2024 but had slumped to a No.8 seeding after her win famine. Now she's back where she belongs. Iga Swiatek has cemented her place as an all-time great of women's tennis with her unprecedented, merciless 6-0 6-0 destruction of Amanda Anisimova in a brutal Wimbledon Centre Court final wipe-out. In blazing sunshine on the Centre Court, Polish great Swiatek made a nonsense of all her previous struggles on grass-courts as she swept to a majestic victory for a sixth grand slam triumph on Saturday in less than an hour. The 'double-bagel' triumph, which lasted just 57 minutes, had never happened in a Wimbledon final in the Open era. The last time it occurred at SW19 was 114 years ago in 1911, when Dorothea Lambert Chambers beat Dora Boothby in an all-British final, while the only modern day equivalent was the 1988 French Open final when Steffi Graf routed Natasha Zvereva. It ensured that at 24, Swiatek becomes the youngest woman since Serena Williams to win majors on all three surfaces after her four French Open titles on clay and her 2022 US Open win. And it prompted her to have a post-title swipe at her critics who've tried to unpick why she hadn't won a title for over a year. "For sure, the past months, how the media sometimes describe me - and I've got to say, unfortunately, Polish media - how they treated me and my team, it wasn't really pleasant," said Swiatek, who had served a one-month doping ban at the end of last season after taking contaminated medication. "I hope they will just leave me alone and let me do my job because obviously you can see that we know what we are doing, and I have the best people around me. "I have already proved a lot. I know people want more and more - but it's my own process and my own life and my own career." Presented with the Venus Rosewater Dish by Kate, the Princess of Wales, Swiatek had delivered a right royal performance, exhibiting machine-like quality with her groundstrokes as Anisimova, the American 13th seed, never recovered from getting broken to 15 in the opening service game. "I think everyone's in a state of shock at what's happened," said three-time Wimbledon champ John McEnroe, echoing everyone's feelings from the commentary box. "Swiatek played someone who absolutely froze. And it was so hard to watch." Inevitably, the tears came for Animisova, whose comeback had been one of the stories of the championship, with the former teenage prodigy having stepped away from tennis for eight months in 2023 to prioritise her mental health. Much was expected after the way she'd beaten world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semis, but she was the first to admit her failings after coughing up 28 mistakes in just a dozen games. "I was a bit frozen there, with my nerves. Maybe the last two weeks I got a bit tired or something," said the 23-year-old, who skipped practice on Friday because of fatigue and felt pain in her right shoulder while warming up before the match. "I ran out of gas today and I wish I could have put on a better performance for you," she told the crowd after paying a tearful tribute to her mum. Nothing, though, could be taken away from Swiatek. She's the eighth consecutive first-time Wimbledon champion, but her's is a name that truly belongs in the event's hall of fame after she'd never previously got beyond the quarter-finals. The first Polish winner at Wimbledon in 148 years had spent 125 weeks as the world No.1 between 2022 and 2024 but had slumped to a No.8 seeding after her win famine. Now she's back where she belongs. Iga Swiatek has cemented her place as an all-time great of women's tennis with her unprecedented, merciless 6-0 6-0 destruction of Amanda Anisimova in a brutal Wimbledon Centre Court final wipe-out. In blazing sunshine on the Centre Court, Polish great Swiatek made a nonsense of all her previous struggles on grass-courts as she swept to a majestic victory for a sixth grand slam triumph on Saturday in less than an hour. The 'double-bagel' triumph, which lasted just 57 minutes, had never happened in a Wimbledon final in the Open era. The last time it occurred at SW19 was 114 years ago in 1911, when Dorothea Lambert Chambers beat Dora Boothby in an all-British final, while the only modern day equivalent was the 1988 French Open final when Steffi Graf routed Natasha Zvereva. It ensured that at 24, Swiatek becomes the youngest woman since Serena Williams to win majors on all three surfaces after her four French Open titles on clay and her 2022 US Open win. And it prompted her to have a post-title swipe at her critics who've tried to unpick why she hadn't won a title for over a year. "For sure, the past months, how the media sometimes describe me - and I've got to say, unfortunately, Polish media - how they treated me and my team, it wasn't really pleasant," said Swiatek, who had served a one-month doping ban at the end of last season after taking contaminated medication. "I hope they will just leave me alone and let me do my job because obviously you can see that we know what we are doing, and I have the best people around me. "I have already proved a lot. I know people want more and more - but it's my own process and my own life and my own career." Presented with the Venus Rosewater Dish by Kate, the Princess of Wales, Swiatek had delivered a right royal performance, exhibiting machine-like quality with her groundstrokes as Anisimova, the American 13th seed, never recovered from getting broken to 15 in the opening service game. "I think everyone's in a state of shock at what's happened," said three-time Wimbledon champ John McEnroe, echoing everyone's feelings from the commentary box. "Swiatek played someone who absolutely froze. And it was so hard to watch." Inevitably, the tears came for Animisova, whose comeback had been one of the stories of the championship, with the former teenage prodigy having stepped away from tennis for eight months in 2023 to prioritise her mental health. Much was expected after the way she'd beaten world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semis, but she was the first to admit her failings after coughing up 28 mistakes in just a dozen games. "I was a bit frozen there, with my nerves. Maybe the last two weeks I got a bit tired or something," said the 23-year-old, who skipped practice on Friday because of fatigue and felt pain in her right shoulder while warming up before the match. "I ran out of gas today and I wish I could have put on a better performance for you," she told the crowd after paying a tearful tribute to her mum. Nothing, though, could be taken away from Swiatek. She's the eighth consecutive first-time Wimbledon champion, but her's is a name that truly belongs in the event's hall of fame after she'd never previously got beyond the quarter-finals. The first Polish winner at Wimbledon in 148 years had spent 125 weeks as the world No.1 between 2022 and 2024 but had slumped to a No.8 seeding after her win famine. Now she's back where she belongs. Iga Swiatek has cemented her place as an all-time great of women's tennis with her unprecedented, merciless 6-0 6-0 destruction of Amanda Anisimova in a brutal Wimbledon Centre Court final wipe-out. In blazing sunshine on the Centre Court, Polish great Swiatek made a nonsense of all her previous struggles on grass-courts as she swept to a majestic victory for a sixth grand slam triumph on Saturday in less than an hour. The 'double-bagel' triumph, which lasted just 57 minutes, had never happened in a Wimbledon final in the Open era. The last time it occurred at SW19 was 114 years ago in 1911, when Dorothea Lambert Chambers beat Dora Boothby in an all-British final, while the only modern day equivalent was the 1988 French Open final when Steffi Graf routed Natasha Zvereva. It ensured that at 24, Swiatek becomes the youngest woman since Serena Williams to win majors on all three surfaces after her four French Open titles on clay and her 2022 US Open win. And it prompted her to have a post-title swipe at her critics who've tried to unpick why she hadn't won a title for over a year. "For sure, the past months, how the media sometimes describe me - and I've got to say, unfortunately, Polish media - how they treated me and my team, it wasn't really pleasant," said Swiatek, who had served a one-month doping ban at the end of last season after taking contaminated medication. "I hope they will just leave me alone and let me do my job because obviously you can see that we know what we are doing, and I have the best people around me. "I have already proved a lot. I know people want more and more - but it's my own process and my own life and my own career." Presented with the Venus Rosewater Dish by Kate, the Princess of Wales, Swiatek had delivered a right royal performance, exhibiting machine-like quality with her groundstrokes as Anisimova, the American 13th seed, never recovered from getting broken to 15 in the opening service game. "I think everyone's in a state of shock at what's happened," said three-time Wimbledon champ John McEnroe, echoing everyone's feelings from the commentary box. "Swiatek played someone who absolutely froze. And it was so hard to watch." Inevitably, the tears came for Animisova, whose comeback had been one of the stories of the championship, with the former teenage prodigy having stepped away from tennis for eight months in 2023 to prioritise her mental health. Much was expected after the way she'd beaten world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semis, but she was the first to admit her failings after coughing up 28 mistakes in just a dozen games. "I was a bit frozen there, with my nerves. Maybe the last two weeks I got a bit tired or something," said the 23-year-old, who skipped practice on Friday because of fatigue and felt pain in her right shoulder while warming up before the match. "I ran out of gas today and I wish I could have put on a better performance for you," she told the crowd after paying a tearful tribute to her mum. Nothing, though, could be taken away from Swiatek. She's the eighth consecutive first-time Wimbledon champion, but her's is a name that truly belongs in the event's hall of fame after she'd never previously got beyond the quarter-finals. The first Polish winner at Wimbledon in 148 years had spent 125 weeks as the world No.1 between 2022 and 2024 but had slumped to a No.8 seeding after her win famine. Now she's back where she belongs.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Aussie Allan chasing wire-to-wire win on Champions Tour
Australia's Steve Allan is eyeing a second Champions Tour win of the season after grabbing a one-shot lead in the Dick's Open in Endicott, New York. The 51-year-old Victorian shot a three-under 69 in Saturday's second round to get to 12-under 132 at En-Joie Golf Club and will be targeting a wire-to-wire victory on Sunday. Boo Weekley is one shot back after a sizzling 64, while fellow American Jason Caron is two behind after carding a 68. Allan's countryman Greg Chalmers posted a 66 and is tied fourth with Americans Kevin Sutherland (66) and Paul Goydos (68), three off the pace. Allan closed with his fourth birdie of the day to secure the outright lead heading into the final round, having opened the tournament with a red-hot 63 on Friday. He claimed his maiden win on the 50-and-over tour at the Galleri Classic in March. "Yeah, it's always nice to have a chance. It doesn't happen that often, for me anyway," said Allan, who tied for sixth on this tournament last year. "I didn't play my best today. I'm going to have to play a lot better than that tomorrow to win. I was in the rough way too often and sort of scrambling." "Hung in there really well," he continued. "Almost got away with no bogeys, made one on 17, but bounced back on the last." Weekley carded eight birdies during his stellar bogey-free round. "It's good to be back in contention," Weekley said. "I mean, been playing pretty solid this week and making some putts, which is fun to see go in." Caron knocked down six birdies and also had two bogeys, both coming on par-4s on the back nine. But he recovered to make birdies on 16 and 17. "I'm just going to do what I've been doing, which is just trying to control what I can do and not what everyone else does, (and) have fun," Caron said. Australia's Steve Allan is eyeing a second Champions Tour win of the season after grabbing a one-shot lead in the Dick's Open in Endicott, New York. The 51-year-old Victorian shot a three-under 69 in Saturday's second round to get to 12-under 132 at En-Joie Golf Club and will be targeting a wire-to-wire victory on Sunday. Boo Weekley is one shot back after a sizzling 64, while fellow American Jason Caron is two behind after carding a 68. Allan's countryman Greg Chalmers posted a 66 and is tied fourth with Americans Kevin Sutherland (66) and Paul Goydos (68), three off the pace. Allan closed with his fourth birdie of the day to secure the outright lead heading into the final round, having opened the tournament with a red-hot 63 on Friday. He claimed his maiden win on the 50-and-over tour at the Galleri Classic in March. "Yeah, it's always nice to have a chance. It doesn't happen that often, for me anyway," said Allan, who tied for sixth on this tournament last year. "I didn't play my best today. I'm going to have to play a lot better than that tomorrow to win. I was in the rough way too often and sort of scrambling." "Hung in there really well," he continued. "Almost got away with no bogeys, made one on 17, but bounced back on the last." Weekley carded eight birdies during his stellar bogey-free round. "It's good to be back in contention," Weekley said. "I mean, been playing pretty solid this week and making some putts, which is fun to see go in." Caron knocked down six birdies and also had two bogeys, both coming on par-4s on the back nine. But he recovered to make birdies on 16 and 17. "I'm just going to do what I've been doing, which is just trying to control what I can do and not what everyone else does, (and) have fun," Caron said. Australia's Steve Allan is eyeing a second Champions Tour win of the season after grabbing a one-shot lead in the Dick's Open in Endicott, New York. The 51-year-old Victorian shot a three-under 69 in Saturday's second round to get to 12-under 132 at En-Joie Golf Club and will be targeting a wire-to-wire victory on Sunday. Boo Weekley is one shot back after a sizzling 64, while fellow American Jason Caron is two behind after carding a 68. Allan's countryman Greg Chalmers posted a 66 and is tied fourth with Americans Kevin Sutherland (66) and Paul Goydos (68), three off the pace. Allan closed with his fourth birdie of the day to secure the outright lead heading into the final round, having opened the tournament with a red-hot 63 on Friday. He claimed his maiden win on the 50-and-over tour at the Galleri Classic in March. "Yeah, it's always nice to have a chance. It doesn't happen that often, for me anyway," said Allan, who tied for sixth on this tournament last year. "I didn't play my best today. I'm going to have to play a lot better than that tomorrow to win. I was in the rough way too often and sort of scrambling." "Hung in there really well," he continued. "Almost got away with no bogeys, made one on 17, but bounced back on the last." Weekley carded eight birdies during his stellar bogey-free round. "It's good to be back in contention," Weekley said. "I mean, been playing pretty solid this week and making some putts, which is fun to see go in." Caron knocked down six birdies and also had two bogeys, both coming on par-4s on the back nine. But he recovered to make birdies on 16 and 17. "I'm just going to do what I've been doing, which is just trying to control what I can do and not what everyone else does, (and) have fun," Caron said. Australia's Steve Allan is eyeing a second Champions Tour win of the season after grabbing a one-shot lead in the Dick's Open in Endicott, New York. The 51-year-old Victorian shot a three-under 69 in Saturday's second round to get to 12-under 132 at En-Joie Golf Club and will be targeting a wire-to-wire victory on Sunday. Boo Weekley is one shot back after a sizzling 64, while fellow American Jason Caron is two behind after carding a 68. Allan's countryman Greg Chalmers posted a 66 and is tied fourth with Americans Kevin Sutherland (66) and Paul Goydos (68), three off the pace. Allan closed with his fourth birdie of the day to secure the outright lead heading into the final round, having opened the tournament with a red-hot 63 on Friday. He claimed his maiden win on the 50-and-over tour at the Galleri Classic in March. "Yeah, it's always nice to have a chance. It doesn't happen that often, for me anyway," said Allan, who tied for sixth on this tournament last year. "I didn't play my best today. I'm going to have to play a lot better than that tomorrow to win. I was in the rough way too often and sort of scrambling." "Hung in there really well," he continued. "Almost got away with no bogeys, made one on 17, but bounced back on the last." Weekley carded eight birdies during his stellar bogey-free round. "It's good to be back in contention," Weekley said. "I mean, been playing pretty solid this week and making some putts, which is fun to see go in." Caron knocked down six birdies and also had two bogeys, both coming on par-4s on the back nine. But he recovered to make birdies on 16 and 17. "I'm just going to do what I've been doing, which is just trying to control what I can do and not what everyone else does, (and) have fun," Caron said.
