When Wimbledon finalist Amanda's suffered a personal tragedy just before she turned 18

The 23-year-old had a dream run at Wimbledon before losing to Iga Swiatek in the final

Last updated: July 14, 2025 | 00:18

Jai Rai, Assistant Editor

2 MIN READ

Poland's Iga Swiatek (L) holds th winner's trophy, the Venus Rosewater Dish and US player Amanda Anisimova holds the runner-up trophy as they pose at the end of their women's singles final tennis match on the thirteenth day of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 12, 2025.

AFP

Dubai: Amanda Anisimova was preparing for her second US Open on home soil in 2019 and was just a week away from her 18th birthday when tragedy struck at home.

She lost her dad Konstantin Anisimov who died of a heart attack. She withdrew from the tournament immediately.

Her dad played a major role in shaping Amanda's tennis career. After shifting from Russia to the US, her parents got her into tennis at a young age and her father coached her throughout her junior career.

"It was the worst thing that ever happened to me, it was very tough. But you can't change it, and you have to get back to life," Anisimova told New York Post in 2020.

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‘I don’t really talk about it with anyone. The only thing that has helped me is just playing tennis and being on the court. That’s what makes me happy, and I know it would make him happy, so that’s the way it is. It [the grief] never goes away. But you can’t change it, and you have to go back to life," she added.

Amanda has certainly come a long way since then. The 23-year-old, who failed to qualify for the main draw at Wimbledon last year made a strong return entering the final before losing to Iga Swiatek on Saturday. En route to the final she knocked out World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semis.

Anisimova also had previously taken seven months out from the sport to focus on her mental health.

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Jai RaiAssistant Editor

Jai is a seasoned journalist with more than two decades of experience across India and the UAE, specialising in sports reporting. Throughout his distinguished career, he has had the privilege of covering some of the biggest names and events in sports, including cricket, tennis, Formula 1 and golf. A former first-division cricket league captain himself, he brings not only a deep understanding of the game but also a cricketer's discipline to his work. His unique blend of athletic insight and journalistic expertise gives him a wide-ranging perspective that enriches his storytelling, making his coverage both detailed and engaging. Driven by an unrelenting passion for sports, he continues to craft compelling narratives that resonate with readers. As the day winds down for most, he begins his work, ensuring that the most captivating stories make it to the print edition in time for readers to receive them bright and early the next morning.