"I know how Amanda Anisimova plays" - Iga Swiatek makes her feelings known on facing childhood rival in duo's first WTA meeting at Wimbledon final

Iga Swiatek admitted that she looks forward to taking on Amanda Anisimova in the finals of Wimbledon on Saturday (June 12). The Pole revealed that they played during their Junior years and remembers her strengths from old times, and looks to prepare for the upcoming match by keeping these in mind.

Anisimova ousted a fiery Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the semifinals to book a spot in the first Grand Slam final of her career, right after which Swiatek crushed Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0 and set herself up against the American. The duo hasn't yet faced each other in their pro careers, making the encounter equally challenging for both players.

After taking a dominant victory against the Swiss, Swiatek expressed her thoughts on facing Anisimova in the finals. She also laid out the observations on her 23-year-old opponent's playing style from their junior days.

"We played in juniors, and yeah, I mean, she can play amazing tennis. She loves fast surfaces because she has a flat game and it's fast, so yeah, you have to be ready for fast shots, for her being proactive. But I'm just gonna kind of focus on myself," she said.

The Pole further explained how she would prepare, using her knowledge of playing Anisimova in the past.

"And yeah, I'll prepare tactically tomorrow because, as I said, we know each other from juniors and I know how she plays, but we never played a match—at least I think so. But I don't have a good memory, so yeah, I'll just prepare tomorrow like I would before any other match," she added.

Iga Swiatek is only one match away from completing 100 Grand Slam match wins and currently boasts a 99-20 win-loss record.

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Iga Swiatek was in disbelief after qualifying for the finals

Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon 2025 - Image Source: Getty

Iga Swiatek admitted that she couldn't believe she could qualify for the finals of Wimbledon. The 24-year-old went through a rough patch at the beginning of the season and failed to maintain her winning streak on clay a few weeks back.

During the on-court interview after her semifinal win, she said:

"I never dreamt it would be possible for me to play in the final. Tennis keeps surprising me. I thought I lived through everything."

Billie Jean King (in 1969) and Venus Williams (in 2009) are the only two people who have dropped fewer games (one) than Swiatek (two) in a Wimbledon semifinal in the Open Era (via OptaAce on X).