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Preview Wimbledon 2025 WTA Semi-Finals: Potential Sabalenka-Swiatek final looms once more

Originally posted on TennisUpToDate.com | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 10:42 AM ET

The semi-finals of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships on the WTA side loom and we are here to take a look at the four semi-finalists in our Preview ahead of Thursday's action.

The potential is against all odds despite the seeds dropping like flies and both players never massively performing at Wimbledon for a Sabatek (Sabalenka and Swiatek) final but there are two players with their own ambitions trying to stop them.

Given the last few years at Wimbledon which have seen Barbora Krejcikova defeat Jasmine Paolini and Marketa Vondrousova see off Ons Jabeur, it would not be a shock either to see a final of a similar magnitude as even Anisimova v Bencic.

But while Krejcikova in particular wasn't a first time winner, it could snap a streak of first time champions and also ones that weren't expected to win it. Albeit two players in Sabalenka and Swiatek who haven't had the success on grass in the past.

Sabalenka faces previous nemesis Anisimova

The opening match on paper is more likely to produce a shock of sorts with Aryna Sabalenka barely troubled so far apart from against the tricky Laura Siegemund which likely stoked alarm bells.

She saw off Carson Branstine, Marie Bouzkova, had a tricky test against Emma Raducanu but excelled in the end then narrowly saw off Elise Mertens. It has not been blow players away Sabalenka like it has been in the past.

But for a player who has not played Wimbledon much in recent years and has not managed to fulfil her full potential on the surface, it is perhaps not a huge surprise.

She will still be favourite though to win the title from here but Anisimova perhaps poses the biggest test of all when it comes to the semi-finals. She has a 5-3 Head-to-Head record against Sabalenka who is known to hate playing the American who has been in career best form as of late.

She has been a true success story coming from having a mental health break to being ranked in the top 10 after having a year or so off showing that there is a route back after deciding to take a step back.

She had a bit of trouble closing it out against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova last round but has found her way past quality operators including Yulia Putintseva and Linda Noskova from the start to the Last 16 at SW19.

Her Head-to-Head is a bit of a non indicator at times as she faces Sabalenka having lost three out of the last four after winning every single game for the first four herself. She got one back in Toronto last year but Sabalenka has found a way to crack the code finally. Albeit the Head-to-Head will always be a talking point until Sabalenka overtakes.

But a real crescendo to Anisimova's comeback would be to win a Grand Slam and it will be up to the favourite in Sabalenka to stop the fairytale win for the American.

Match Info: Aryna Sabalenka - Amanda Anisimova

Start time (local): Thu, 10 Jul, 1:30 PM

Start time (your time): Thu, 10 Jul, 8:30 PM

Court: Centre Court

Tournament: The Championships, Wimbledon

Round: Semifinal

Head-to-Head

Past Meetings
Bios
Live Ranking
Ranking
H2H Record
	Sabalenka	Anisimova
Total Wins	3	5
Win Streak	1	0
Official Ranking	1	12
Race Ranking	1	10
Live Ranking	1	8 (+4)
Live Race Ranking	1	7 (+3)
Age	27 (5 May 1998)	23 (31 Aug 2001)
Birthplace	Minsk, Belarus	Freehold Township, New Jersey, US
Residence	Miami, Florida, US	Aventura, Florida, US
Height	5'11" (182cm)	5'10" (180cm)
Weight	176lbs (80kg)	150lbs (68kg)
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Turned Pro	2015	2016
Coach	Anton Dubrov	Hendrik Vleeshouwers
YTD W/L	45-8 (85%)	28-9 (76%)
YTD Titles	3	1
Career Titles	20	3
Prize Money	US$36,023,711 - 9th in all-time rankings	US$ 6,545,206
A Sabalenka d A Anisimova French Open - Round of 167-5 \| 6-3 1 Jun 2025
A Anisimova d A Sabalenka WTA Toronto - Quarterfinal6-4 \| 6-2 10 Aug 2024
A Sabalenka d A Anisimova Australian Open - Round of 166-3 \| 6-2 21 Jan 2024
A Sabalenka d A Anisimova WTA Rome - Quarterfinal4-6 \| 6-3 \| 6-2 13 May 2022
A Anisimova d A Sabalenka WTA Madrid - Round of 646-2 \| 3-6 \| 6-4 28 Apr 2022
A Anisimova d A Sabalenka WTA Charleston - Round of 163-6 \| 6-4 \| 6-3 7 Apr 2022
A Anisimova d A Sabalenka French Open - Round of 646-4 \| 6-2 30 May 2019
A Anisimova d A Sabalenka Australian Open - Round of 326-3 \| 6-2 18 Jan 2019

Swiatek finally excels on grass

Onto the second semi-final and surprisingly in a way it is one that features two quality operators amid the seed cull that happened in the bottom section.

Coco Gauff was one of the main players to go early but we still got Iga Swiatek v Belinda Bencic to end off the semi-final line-up which is perhaps the best scenario.

Swiatek has had a point to prove both at Wimbledon and also in general. She didn't perform on her favourite surface and in reality was going down the rankings quickly. But Wimbledon ordinarily is a free hit for the Pole who has been open that grass isn't her best surface.

This is glossing over her winning the title at juniors in this tournament which perhaps shows that it is puzzling that she hasn't had success.

But now she is finally having it. From the Caty McNally scare, she made light work of Danielle Collins. She then saw off Clara Tauson and Liudmila Samsonova to reach this point where she faces Bencic who like Anisimova is a real success story.

Bencic is the latest in a short group of mothers to come back and reach the latter stages of a Grand Slam after giving birth. She emulates most recently a certain Elina Svitolina who managed to do it and has been in the form of her life in recent months.

Bencic too has been in a career best run. She won Abu Dhabi earlier in the year and despite that stalling, she is now into a Grand Slam semi-final. She also won't have to massively worry about using her protected rankings anymore in order to enter tournament. A relief for sure.

Returning quickly after giving birth, she made sure that she played lower level and took her time. Not entering into the sphere of being a big name, she used match practice as a real tool to gain what she needed. Something that others returning need to think about no doubt.

But she has been better for it and faces Swiatek at the best time. She saw off Jessica Pegula conqueror Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Ekaterina Alexandrova and Mirra Andreeva in the latter stages to reach this point and now sits top 20 again no matter what happens.

Swiatek holds a superb lead over her Head-to-Head wise 4-1 and their last meeting was at Wimbledon in a three set win. So she will be favoured but like Anisimova before them, this is a different Bencic so makes it more of a 50-50 than perhaps the Head-to-Head gleams.

With all the talk about the big names going out early and the strength and depth in both sides of the game, it has ironically turned out to be a top line-up in the end.

But will we see Sabatek again in a Grand Slam final and will Sabalenka go on to get revenge overall after losing the French Open final or will Anisimova and Bencic upset the apple cart?

As we know with this tournament, it is never a foregone conclusion and the next preview could very well be an upside down final. But whatever comes through, it will certainly be one to remember.