Amanda Anisimova has carved out a career milestone at the 2025 Queen’s Club Championships, outlasting world No. 5 Zheng Qinwen 6–2, 4–6, 6–4 in a high-octane semifinal to reach her first grass-court final. The 22-year-old American will now vie for her maiden WTA 500 title—and the fourth trophy of her career—when she takes on crafty veteran Tatjana Maria in Sunday’s final.
Anisimova’s run in London has been nothing short of inspired. Following her quarterfinal upset over third seed Emma Navarro, the former junior prodigy backed it up with another top-tier win, toppling Zheng in a tense three-set clash that further cements her resurgence. With this latest triumph, she not only earns her fifth career win over a top-5 player but also climbs to a career-best ranking of world No. 13—on the cusp of cracking the top 10 for the first time.
Fast Start, First Set Mastery
The American stamped her authority early. Breaking Zheng in the opening game, Anisimova quickly built a 5–1 lead, exploiting Zheng’s struggles on first serve (just 40% in the opener). Dominating on her own delivery and staying aggressive on returns, Anisimova dictated the rallies and closed out the first set 6–2 with clinical efficiency—winning 71% of her service points and converting 2 of 4 break opportunities.
Momentum Shift in the Second
Zheng responded with trademark grit in a chaotic second set marked by momentum swings and inconsistent serving from both players. Anisimova again surged to a 2–0 lead, but this time couldn’t hold it. The pair exchanged six breaks in a seven-game stretch as Zheng raised her intensity and began reading Anisimova’s patterns. A clutch hold in the ninth game gave Zheng the breathing room she needed, and she leveled the match with a 6–4 set.
Composure and Breakpoint Brilliance
The decider brought edge-of-the-seat drama. As in the first two sets, Anisimova broke early for 2–0, but Zheng clawed back, saving a break point en route to leading 3–2. Yet in the defining phase of the match, Anisimova held her nerve. She fended off three crucial break chances and converted a pivotal break in the seventh game, then served out the match with composure and precision. Saving 4 of 5 break points in the final set, she closed out the win after just over two hours of play.
Zheng vs Anisimova – Match Stats (played on June 14, 2025)
| Key Stats | Zheng | Anisimova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.92 | 1.08 |
| Service | ||
| Serve Rating | 199 | 222 |
| Aces | 5 | 3 |
| Double Faults | 8 | 9 |
| 1st Serve % | 52% (42/81) | 55% (51/92) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 64% (27/42) | 57% (29/51) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 36% (14/39) | 52% (22/42) |
| Break Points Saved | 22% (2/9) | 67% (10/15) |
| Service Games | 50% (7/14) | 64% (9/14) |
| Serve Freq. | ||
| Ace % | 6.2% | 3.3% |
| Double Fault % | 9.9% | 9.8% |
| Return | ||
| Return Rating | 160 | 228 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 43% (22/51) | 36% (15/42) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 48% (20/42) | 64% (25/39) |
| Break Points Won | 33% (5/15) | 78% (7/9) |
| Return Games | 36% (5/14) | 50% (7/14) |
| Points Won | ||
| Pressure Points | 29% (7/24) | 71% (17/24) |
| Service Points | 51% (41/81) | 54% (50/92) |
| Return Points | 46% (42/92) | 49% (40/81) |
| Total Points | 48% (83/173) | 52% (90/173) |
| Games Won | ||
| Service Games | 50% (7/14) | 64% (9/14) |
| Return Games | 36% (5/14) | 50% (7/14) |
| Total Games | 43% (12/28) | 57% (16/28) |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 3 |
| Other | ||
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 9 | 7 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Match Duration | 2h 16m | |
Now standing one match away from her first grass-court crown, Anisimova will face Germany’s Tatjana Maria, a Wimbledon semifinalist known for her unorthodox slice and court craft. For Zheng, the defeat still comes with a silver lining: she will rise to a career-high No. 4 in the WTA rankings on Monday, heading to Wimbledon as one of the tournament’s top seeds.
Tatjana Maria holds a 1–0 head-to-head lead over Amanda Anisimova, having won their only previous encounter at the 2018 Beijing qualification rounds. In that match, Maria rebounded from a one-set deficit to defeat Anisimova 2–6, 6–2, 6–0. Despite that past result, most predictors now give Anisimova a 70% chance of victory, reflecting her improved form and current standing heading into their upcoming clash.