THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 10, 2025

Amanda Anisimova

Press Conference

A. ANISIMOVA/A. Sabalenka

6-4, 4-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Amanda, you've just made your first Wimbledon final. Tell us how you're feeling.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I feel amazing. I mean, it's so exciting to be in the final here. And yeah, I think I still can't believe it in a way.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You've talked a lot this week about how much work you've put in, your work ethic itself having a huge turnaround. Does that make these results more rewarding? I'm sure it's weird to compare them to what you achieved earlier in your career. How does this feel different, if at all?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, for sure I feel very happy to be able to share this moment with my loved ones and my team. It's incredibly special.

When it comes to the work ethic, I feel like I really enjoy the training and the process. So for me it's not like all of my hard work has paid off because I really enjoy it. I feel like with that, results will come.

But yeah, you're just not sure when that will happen. For it to happen here is still a little bit unbelievable to me.

Q. Holding your nerve mentally in this match, there were a lots of ups and downs, how have you managed that to do this in this big stage, the biggest possible win of your career?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, it was such a tough match and a little bit of a roller coaster there. I struggled to hold my serve in the second set. It just goes to show when you miss a crucial point or lose a game, the margins are so slim, especially when you're playing, I mean, the No. 1 in the world.

She's such a tough player. I knew that I had to really dig deep and make as little mistakes as possible. So yeah, it's really hard trying to have to play perfect tennis because that's the only way to really get the win, but I feel like we really fought out there today. The conditions weren't easy.

Q. Aryna said she thought you won because you were the braver player. Were you feeling brave in that third set? If that is not the word, then what were you feeling? How did it compare to the quarterfinal?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I feel like I was playing very well in the first set. To be able to hold my serve every time was super important. Then I think we were both a bit shaky throughout the match. That showed. We made quite a few mistakes from both ends.

Yeah, I think it was just a little bit of nerves there for the both of us to make our first final here at Wimbledon. But yeah, I feel like we were both really going for our serves. That was super important.

Yeah, I was trying to really stay on top of my serve, was struggling a bit there. But yeah, holding serve was just going to be super important.

Yeah, in the third set I knew that I was going to really have to go for it. Her level just kept increasing and getting better and better throughout the match. So to be able to come on top, I knew that I wasn't just going to win off of her mistakes. Yeah, I really had to bring my game and do as much as I could, especially when it came to being aggressive.

Q. Reaching a Grand Slam final is the ultimate vindication of taking a break in the sense that it proves it can work for you, doesn't it? It proves you can get back to where you were?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, I think it's different for everyone. I think it goes to show that it is possible. I think that's a really special message that I think I've been able to show because when I took my break, a lot of people told me that you would never make it to the top again if you take so much time away from the game. That was a little hard to digest because I did want to come back and still achieve a lot and win a Grand Slam one day.

Just me being able to prove that you can get back to the top if you prioritize yourself. So that's been incredibly special to me. Yeah, it means a lot.

Q. I know you've talked quite a bit this week about losing last year in qualifying. Did that result mean anything extra to you? Did it motivate you more? What were you doing last year while the tournament was still going on?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, when I came here, I said that it was a super special feeling to be seeded here after losing in the quallies last year. Despite however I was going to do here, just being able to be in the top again at a career high just meant a lot to me. The rest I just told myself I'm going to compete and enjoy every moment out there.

But yeah, last year -- every time I'm out of a Grand Slam or a tournament, I take a few days off. I don't turn my phone off, but I don't really follow. I like to just relax and spend as much time with whoever I'm with, whether it's friends or family, and just really enjoy their company. That's what I was doing.

Q. Just wanted to ask about the point in the second set where the umpire had a few words with you about maybe celebrating early on a winner. Were you surprised that he brought that up with you?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: No, I wasn't celebrating. It was just, like, a long grunt, I guess. I don't really know what was the deal there, to be honest, because I didn't feel like it was that interfering.

But yeah, I tried to not do it again. Yeah, it was just such a high-stakes match. I think we were both grunting a lot out there. We have a big game, so that's the outcome of it.

But yeah, I wasn't really sure what the issue was, but I can play it back. Maybe I was a bit interfering. I don't really know.

Q. We've just seen Iga Swiatek will be your opponent in the final. I don't believe you've met before. How will you approach the whole occasion? This is new for you, and her as an opponent.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, Iga is such an unbelievable player. She's also been an inspiration to me. Her work ethic and all of her achievements have been really inspiring. I'm sure it will be an amazing match again.

Yeah, getting to compete against an unbelievable player again is going to be super special. Hopefully I can bring some high-quality tennis and make it a battle out there. I'm just going to go out and enjoy every moment and try to not think about what's on the line there.

Q. You did actually play Iga in Fed Cup juniors. What do you remember about the match? What was baby Amanda like?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I used to enjoy those Fed Cup trips a lot. We had a lot of fun on those trips.

But yeah, she was playing very well. She was a great junior. I remember a lot of coaches were saying that she's going to be a big deal one day. Yeah, obviously they were right.

But yeah, she was playing some great tennis. I did lose that match, unfortunately. But, yeah, it was fun to play in juniors.

Q. People said the same about you. What was it like sharing that at that age?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, it was a little bit of a boost of confidence. I think I did pretty well in the juniors very early on.

But yeah, I got to travel a lot with my mom, which was super special to me. Yeah, I enjoyed it a lot. So having her by my side was super important to me. Getting to experience all that with her meant a lot.

Q. Very hot and humid out there today. Did that make things tougher?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, to be honest, it did kind of make it tough for me. I felt like I was getting tired throughout some points of the match. When I took that bathroom break, I saw how red my face was (smiling).

Yeah, I was just trying to cool off as much as I could on the changeovers. I knew that it was going to be a tough match, and I had to fight my way through.

But yeah, we haven't had so many hot days, so I feel like I got a little bit unused to it, being someone who lives in Miami. But yeah, I mean, it's good that I got used to it again today because I think it's going to be hot the next few days, yeah.

Q. If you had to say the one thing that gives you the most satisfaction or pride about this, what would it be? You're a gifted painter. Your work is largely abstract. If you could paint a picture about this run, what would it look like?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, it's been an incredible year for me. To be in the Wimbledon final, I mean, I'm still trying to process it, in a way.

But yeah, I don't know. I typically do abstract, so it would be hard. A lot of green and white. So maybe it's some inspiration for me when I get back to make a piece.

Q. How cross would you have been if your best friend missed such an incredible match?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I was like honestly getting disappointed, so I didn't even feel bad, like, calling her out there, but then I found her. No, she told me she was going to watch. She actually canceled her practice. I was like, Oh, that's really nice of her.

Yeah, it was so special to see all of the support that I had in my box. Just so many people who mean so much to me. In moments of doubt or when I was down, I would just look up at my box and see their support. Yeah, I feel like it, honestly, lifted me up and carried me through that match.

Q. Can you tell us something about your Dutch coaches and how you got to know them? How it's working?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, it's been such an amazing year working with them. They've really been bringing out the best in me. They honestly care about me as a person as much as they do as the athlete I am, so that's most important to me.

Yeah, I worked with Rob for so many years, who is my fitness coach. He introduced me to my now tennis coach, Rik. Yeah, I mean, it's been an amazing partnership. I've enjoyed every step of the way with them.

Yeah, I'm sure we have many more years to come and many achievements to accomplish.

Q. You mentioned feeling nervous and shaky at times. Of course, the final is a huge occasion. How much work will you do, and how much can you do when you haven't been in that position before? Do you think the outcome will be who handles nerves best?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I think for sure that's going to be coming into play a bit, keeping our nerves at bay and staying composed.

I mean, I would say we're both pretty experienced. Obviously I haven't been in a Grand Slam final before, but I've experienced a lot of moments similar and a lot of high-stakes matches. I feel like I'm pretty prepared.

Yeah, I always tell myself ahead of the game to enjoy every moment, not really concentrate on the finish line or the outcome, and just to really stay in the present. So I'll just keep telling myself that.

Even today, I mean, I was forgetting there was a final on the line because I had Aryna across from me. I was just so focused on that.

Q. What was going through your mind during the match points in the third set?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, even though I had three match points, it didn't feel like it. She was playing incredible and serving very well. I knew I was going to have to come out with something big or do something very special to be able to pull off that win.

Yeah, I mean, I was definitely getting a little bit more nervous with every match point that I was losing there. So yeah, as you could tell, I was just so relieved at the end there. Yeah, I tried to keep my cool and put my return in.

Q. The art question... Can you talk about how important it is for you to have that outlet for expression, especially when tennis is a sport where you have to keep it in quite a lot, especially when you're off tour?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, it's for sure a passion of mine, something I picked up as a hobby to do in my free time. I enjoy doing a lot of things in my free time to just turn my mind off of things. I'm not someone who is, like, always tennis, tennis, tennis. I like just relaxing and just taking my mind off when I can. Also, love listening to music.

Yeah, I have quite a few outlets. I think that's super important when you're playing at this high level.

Q. You mentioned music. You told me before the tournament that you've done mash-up play lists of songs. Are you going to make one a new one for the final?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Those would take me three days to do. I remember I was doing it when I had so much free time. I would do mash-ups of different songs and try and create a 30-minute playlist for my warm-ups.

I haven't done, but maybe I'll just listen to one of my old ones. Yeah, I have one rap one, so maybe I'll do that one.

Q. You mentioned that you draw inspiration from Iga. What inspires you from watching her, and what do you appreciate most about her game?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I could say a number of things about her. I mean, her work ethic is incredible. Just the athletic ability she has, that she's clearly worked very hard for.

Every time I watch her, it's really nice to see the way she's able to move out of the corners and produce such a high level of tennis. Obviously that's why she's achieved so much in the game.

Yeah, I'm just looking forward to facing her for the first time on the tour.