Amanda Anisimova delivered one of the most memorable performances of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in a three-set thriller to secure her place in the semifinals. The match lasted 2 hours and 36 minutes, with Anisimova recovering from a first-set loss to win 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-2. Her aggressive baseline play and mental resilience proved decisive against Swiatek’s consistency and court coverage.
Drawing strength from family support
After the match, Anisimova shared a personal moment that helped her push through the pressure. “My mom keeps telling me ‘you’ve won so many 3 set matches this year. You’re so strong. You can do it.’ So I was actually thinking about that. Against Iga today it was so so tough,” she said in her post-match interview, visibly emotional.
Mental toughness and momentum
Anisimova’s ability to stay composed after dropping the first set was key to her comeback. She broke Swiatek’s rhythm in the second set and maintained control in the third, using her forehand to dictate play and her serve to escape tight moments. The win marks her second career victory over Swiatek and highlights her growth as a competitor on the biggest stages.
Looking ahead to the semifinals
With the win, Anisimova advances to face Elena Rybakina in the semifinals. Rybakina, who remained unbeaten in group play, will present a new challenge with her powerful serve and flat groundstrokes. Anisimova enters the match with confidence and momentum, backed by a season filled with gritty three-set wins and growing belief.
Amanda Anisimova on beating Iga Swiatek at WTA Finals in Riyadh
“My mom keeps telling me ‘you’ve won so many 3 set matches this year. You’re so strong. You can do it.’ 🥹 So I was actually thinking about that. Against Iga today it was so so tough.”
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) November 5, 2025
Iga Swiatek in 2025
WLWLLWWLLW At the moment ranked no.2, the Pole played her last match on the 3rd of November when she defeated world no.7 Madison Keys 6-1 6-2 in the round robin in Riyadh (draw).
At present, during this year the Pole has an overall 62-16 record. Iga clinched 3 titles in 2025 in Wimbledon, Cincinnati and Seoul. Swiatek got to the final in Australia and Bad Homburg.
Amanda Anisimova in 2025
Ranked no.4 (career-high), Anisimova played her last match on the 3rd of November when she beat world no.7 Madison Keys 4-6 6-3 6-2 in the round robin in Riyadh (draw).
At present, during this year Amanda has managed to achieve a compiled 46-17 match record. The American clinched 2 titles in 2025 in Doha and Beijing. Anisimova was the finalist in London, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.
Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova faced off just twice. Their actual head to head record is 1-1.
