In a high-caliber clash between two players of the same generation, Amanda Anisimova produced one of her finest performances of the season to defeat Iga Swiatek and book her spot in the WTA Finals semifinals in Riyadh.
With Elena Rybakina already securing top position in the group, everything was still on the line for these two — a $340,000 match win bonus, a shot at another million with a semifinal victory, and the pride of outlasting one of the sport’s fiercest competitors.
Swiatek Shows Tremendous Effort to Take the Opening Set
From the opening games, the quality was exceptional. Both players were locked in from the first ball, serving with precision and striking cleanly off both wings. The crowd inside the Riyadh Arena, split evenly between Polish and Anisimova fans, sensed early that this was something special. Through eight games, neither woman budged, and it wasn’t until the ninth that Swiatek flirted with danger — down 15–40 and forced to produce two outstanding serves to survive. Anisimova missed narrow chances to break, and Swiatek escaped in classic fashion: composed, defiant, and resilient.
But with margins razor-thin, the opener inevitably went to a tiebreak. There, Swiatek’s discipline shone through. Having weathered Anisimova’s heavy hitting mid-set, she seized the first mini-break and never let go, closing out the breaker 7–3 with controlled aggression. It was a harsh outcome for Anisimova, who had played at near-peak level, but Swiatek had simply found a way to impose her will when it mattered most.
Swiatek vs Anisimova – Set 1 Stats
| Statistic | Swiatek | Anisimova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.12 | 0.90 |
| Winners | 10 | 17 |
| Service | ||
| Serve Rating | 298 | 280 |
| Aces | 2 | 1 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 68% (34/50) | 55% (23/42) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 76% (26/34) | 70% (16/23) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 53% (9/17) | 55% (11/20) |
| Break Points Saved | 100% (4/4) | – |
| Service Games Won | 100% (6/6) | 100% (6/6) |
| Ace % | 4% | 2.4% |
| Double Fault % | 2% | 2.4% |
| Return | ||
| Return Rating | 75 | 71 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 30% (7/23) | 24% (8/34) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 45% (9/20) | 47% (8/17) |
| Break Points Won | – | 0% (0/4) |
| Return Games Won | 0% (0/6) | 0% (0/6) |
| Points & Games | ||
| Pressure Points Won | 100% (4/4) | 0% (0/4) |
| Service Points Won | 68% (34/50) | 64% (27/42) |
| Return Points Won | 36% (15/42) | 32% (16/50) |
| Total Points Won | 53% (49/92) | 47% (43/92) |
| Max Points In A Row | 4 | 5 |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Games | ||
| Service Games Won | 100% (6/6) | 100% (6/6) |
| Return Games Won | 0% (0/6) | 0% (0/6) |
| Total Games Won | 50% (6/12) | 50% (6/12) |
| Max Games In A Row | 1 | 1 |
| Other | ||
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Set 1 Duration | 1h05m | |
Anisimova Levels with Brilliance
If Swiatek’s grit carried the first set, Anisimova’s composure defined the second. Once again, both held serve deep into the set, their rhythm on serve unshakable. At 5–4, the American found her moment — relentlessly attacking Swiatek’s second serve and pushing her to the edge. Swiatek saved the first set point with a near-ace down the tee, but Anisimova stood her ground. On the next, she stepped in and ripped an early backhand return that clipped the line, leaving Swiatek frozen as her reply found the net.
The scoreboard read 6–4 to Anisimova, and the match was deservedly level — one set apiece, the drama peaking, and the semifinal door still wide open.
Swiatek vs Anisimova – Set 2 Stats
| Statistic | Swiatek | Anisimova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.97 | 1.03 |
| Winners | 7 | 13 |
| Service | ||
| Serve Rating | 253 | 290 |
| Aces | 0 | 0 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 61% (20/33) | 59% (20/34) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 80% (16/20) | 70% (14/20) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 33% (4/12) | 62% (8/13) |
| Break Points Saved | 0% (0/1) | 100% (3/3) |
| Service Games Won | 80% (4/5) | 100% (5/5) |
| Ace % | 0% | 0% |
| Double Fault % | 3% | 2.9% |
| Return | ||
| Return Rating | 68 | 207 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 30% (6/20) | 20% (4/20) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 38% (5/13) | 67% (8/12) |
| Break Points Won | 0% (0/3) | 100% (1/1) |
| Return Games Won | 0% (0/5) | 20% (1/5) |
| Points & Games | ||
| Pressure Points Won | 0% (0/4) | 100% (4/4) |
| Service Points Won | 64% (21/33) | 65% (22/34) |
| Return Points Won | 35% (12/34) | 36% (12/33) |
| Total Points Won | 49% (33/67) | 51% (34/67) |
| Max Points In A Row | 5 | 3 |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Games | ||
| Service Games Won | 80% (4/5) | 100% (5/5) |
| Return Games Won | 0% (0/5) | 20% (1/5) |
| Total Games Won | 40% (4/10) | 60% (6/10) |
| Max Games In A Row | 1 | 2 |
| Other | ||
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Set 2 Duration | 0h54m | |
The Decider — Poise Under Pressure
With Rybakina’s dominance guaranteeing that only one of them could advance, the final set became a battle of nerve as much as skill. Swiatek, trailing 0–1, saved three break points in a tense second game to level at 1–1, her serve still her lifeline. But Anisimova’s own delivery was rock solid — she’d faced only three break points all match and saved every one.
At 2–1, the American broke through. Her returns grew heavier, her movement sharper, and Swiatek blinked with a double fault on break point. That opened the door to 4–1, and Anisimova burst through it, her confidence soaring. Swiatek, to her credit, didn’t falter — she struck a flurry of winners to stay within touching distance at 2–4 — but Anisimova remained impenetrable.
Serving with the conviction of a player in full control, Anisimova fended off a late surge from the world No. 2. Swiatek clawed back to deuce with her trademark ferocity, but Anisimova’s calm under fire prevailed. A bold serve out wide, followed by a fearless forehand into the open court, sealed the 6–7(3), 6–4, 6–2 victory after two hours and twenty minutes of world-class tennis.
Swiatek vs Anisimova – Set 3 Statistics
| Statistic | Swiatek | Anisimova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.56 | 1.78 |
| Service | ||
| Serve Rating | 227 | 319 |
| Aces | 2 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 2 | 0 |
| 1st Serve % | 68% (19/28) | 91% (21/23) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 53% (10/19) | 76% (16/21) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 56% (5/9) | 50% (1/2) |
| Break Points Saved | 71% (5/7) | 100% (1/1) |
| Service Games Won | 50% (2/4) | 100% (4/4) |
| Ace % | 7.1% | 8.7% |
| Double Fault % | 7.1% | 0% |
| Return | ||
| Return Rating | 74 | 170 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 24% (5/21) | 47% (9/19) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 50% (1/2) | 44% (4/9) |
| Break Points Won | 0% (0/1) | 29% (2/7) |
| Return Games Won | 0% (0/4) | 50% (2/4) |
| Points & Games | ||
| Pressure Points Won | 63% (5/8) | 38% (3/8) |
| Service Points Won | 54% (15/28) | 74% (17/23) |
| Return Points Won | 26% (6/23) | 46% (13/28) |
| Total Points Won | 41% (21/51) | 59% (30/51) |
| Max Points In A Row | 6 | 7 |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Games | ||
| Service Games Won | 50% (2/4) | 100% (4/4) |
| Return Games Won | 0% (0/4) | 50% (2/4) |
| Total Games Won | 25% (2/8) | 75% (6/8) |
| Max Games In A Row | 1 | 3 |
| Other | ||
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Set 3 Duration | 0h38m | |
A Statement Win
For Anisimova, this was more than just a win — it was a declaration. Against one of the game’s toughest competitors, she showed the full range of her power, patience, and poise. The result sends her into the semifinals of the WTA Finals for the first time in her career, a fitting reward for her resurgence in 2025.
Swiatek, meanwhile, exits the group with two defeats — a reminder of how fine the margins are at this level, and how on nights like these, even the best can be outplayed by sheer brilliance on the other side.
Final Score: Amanda Anisimova def. Iga Swiatek 6–7(3), 6–4, 6–2 (full match stats)