By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, November 4, 2025
Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty for WTA
Scar tissue is more of an inspiration than a hindrance Amanda Anisimova.
Humbled in a double bagel loss to Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final in July, Anisimova earned a large measure of Riyad’s revenge today.
Fourth seed Anisimova saw off Swiatek 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-2 to book a place in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals.
In her first appearance at the season-ending event, Anisimova served with authority, supported Swiatek by hitting returns deep down the middle and won both forehand winners down the line to beat the Pole for the second time in a row after her 6-4, 6-3 conquest of the US Open quarter-finals.
An undaunted Anisimova won 18 more winners than Swiatek—43 to 25—improving to 10-4 against top-10 opponents in 2025.
“I’m sure it was more of a rollercoaster in the suburbs,” Anisimova said Coco Vandwow of the Tennis Channel afterwards. “It was such a tough battle, it always will be against Iga.
“I just told myself to really go out there and play my best tennis. Keep going, of course. I think I just really enjoyed the challenge today.”
US Open finalist Anisimova joins Elena Rybakina in the final four of the Serena Williams Group of round robin competition.
Earlier, Rybakina beat the sixth Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-4 to win the Serena Williams Group with a perfect 3-0 record. Alexandrova replaced Australian Open champion Madison Keys, who withdrew due to illness.
The Anisimova-Swiatek match was permeated by the pressure of victory and you are in the match.
In the end, it marked the first time Swiatek had lost back-to-back matches since the 2021 WTA Finals. Swiatek, who arrived in Riyadh with a 54-1 record when she won the first set of her last 55 matches, lost back-to-back games from a set after bowing out to Rybakina on Monday. Perhaps that’s why a dejected Swiatek didn’t even offer the customary wave to cheering fans as he walked off the pitch today after a two-hour-and-36-minute defeat.
The Amanda Show Goes On! 🤩@AnisimovaAmanda fights back to beat Swiatek 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-2. #WTAFinalsRiyadh pic.twitter.com/TJGRP722rG
— wta (@WTA) November 5, 2025
Anisimova showed her spine of steel, saving all four break points she faced, including hammering a two-handed down the line to save a break point and eventually hold for 5-2 in the decider. Swiatek was almost as tough on serve: She saved nine of 12 break points, including all four break points she faced in the first set. However, Swiatek, one of the best returners in the sport, will be disappointed that after breaking Rybakina to open their Monday match, she went five straight sets without winning a break against powerhouses Anisimova and Rybakina.
Swiatek’s second straight loss in three sets leaves defending champion Coco Gauff, who will face tomorrow’s no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, as the only previous WTA Finals champion on the court.
Beijing champion Anisimova, who was ranked 36th this time last season, is now ranked 4th – with aspirations of going higher in Riyadh.
“I think that’s the way I like to play (aggressive), especially indoors here, the courts are so fast,” Anisimova said of her baseline aggression. “I mean she was playing really aggressive as well and I was just trying to land my shots.
“I think I gave my best today and I’m very happy with the result.”
Trapped in the 5th, Swiatek produced some of her most confident tennis on double break point at 15-40.
The Wimbledon winner saved a second break point with a swinging volley to extend the longest game of the set. Anisimova made back-to-back forehand errors as Swiatek held firm for 6-5.
The US Open finalist held at 30 to force the tiebreaker.
In the extra session, Swiatek did the damage with her harsh foreword. Swiatek scored two forehand winners in the first four points, grabbing a 3-1 lead.
After Anisimova miscued her vulgar two-handed backhand, Swiatek won four set points at 6-2.
On her second set point, Swiatek drilled a backhand deep forcing Anisimova to swing a backhand wide as the Pole wrapped up the opening set in 65 minutes.
Swiatek saved all four break points she faced in the opener, while Anisimova, who did not face a break point and had the advantage for most of the set, was unable to withstand Swiatek’s ground attack at goal.
Second-seeded Swiatek, who had not broken serve since the opening game of her 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 loss to Elena Rybakina on Monday, earned three break points early in the second set.
Hitting some gutsy serves, Anisimova eased the trouble by denying all three break points and blasting a backhand winner to hold a 2-1 lead in the second set.
After that tenacious stand from the American, neither woman really threatened serve until the last game of the set.
Serving at 4-5, Swiatek held game point but Anisimova applied pressure and a sliding Swiatek overcame a backhand pass to go down.
Cleverly hitting the returns deep in the middle, Anismova pulled a backhand into the bottom of the net for set point. Anisimova hit a backhand again to Swiatek, who scored a second in a row as Anisimova won the first break to grab the second set.
It’s not over yet 🙅♀️@AnisimovaAmanda takes the second set 6-4 over Swiatek and the third set will determine who moves on to Riyadh.#WTAFinalsRiyadh pic.twitter.com/iyMtc5oXcI
— wta (@WTA) November 5, 2025
This break forced a final set after two hours of intense play. In the first two sets, Anisimova scored 13 more winners (30 to 17).
The third set would be winner-take-all for a semi-final spot.
Anisimova did not hold back at all.
Credit Swiatek for saving three break points in her opening service game decider.
This was just a prelude to the thunder storm that would hit Anisimova.
Two games later, Anisimova rocketed a forehand winner down the line for triple break point. Although Swiatek saved the first two break points, she finally hit the net with two faults as Anisimova broke through for 3-1 after two hours and 19 minutes.
When she sets her feet and gets her body behind the ball, Anisimova’s brilliant backhand is arguably the best in the sport. Today, she was an equal-opportunity demolition expert blowing up points from both arms. Anisimova hit another lead down the line off the baseline to hold for 4-1.
Swiatek’s last stand came in the seventh game when she earned a break point but Anisimova saved it and then hit serve wide for 5-2.
On match point, Anisimova read serve and sliced a backhand down the line, thrusting her arms into the air as she completed her second straight victory over Swiatek.
“I’m very notorious for not finishing the season very well at the end of the year,” Anisimova said. “I was telling my sister: Yeah, I don’t have the best record for the last tournament of the year.
“But this year, I hope I can do better, especially here in the WTA Finals. I knew it was going to be so, so hard. But just trying to do my best and stay here as long as possible. I’m really excited to be in the semifinals.”
