American in Wimbledon Final Is a Classic Comeback Tale

Amanda Anisimova plays in the Wimbledon finals on Saturday, the first American to reach the championship round in six years. In getting there, the 23-year-old New Jersey native has become the "best story of this tournament," writes Chris Branch at the Athletic. The reason is because of the improbable career comeback she has staged over the last year or so. As a profile at the Wall Street Journal explains, Anisimova had been a teen phenom, winning the girls US Open title at 16 and reaching a Grand Slam semifinal the following year. "But as the expectations grew, Anisimova felt herself buckling under the strain," writes Joshua Robinson of the Journal.

The sudden death of her father—and coach—when she was 17 added to the trouble as her game suffered. Two years ago, Anisimova finally took a break from the game to focus on her mental health, per NBC News. She returned in 2024 and has been slowly refinding her form—and now she has a chance to win at Wimbledon. "This doesn't feel real right now," she told reporters after defeating No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semis. "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," she said. "Just me being able to prove that you can get back to the top if you prioritize yourself [has] been incredibly special to me." Anisimova plays No. 8 Iga Swiatek on Saturday.