Amanda Anisimova dealt out more Grand Slam heartbreak to world number one Aryna Sabalenka as she set up a Wimbledon final meeting against Iga Swiatek with victory in a thrilling contest.
American Anisimova, the 13th seed, waved and blew kisses to the crowd after securing a remarkable 6-4 4-6 6-4 victory on a blazing hot day on Centre Court.
The 23-year-old saved 11 of the 14 break points she faced to seal her place in a maiden Grand Slam final, converting her fourth match point of a gruelling contest lasting two hours and 35 minutes.
“This doesn’t feel real, I was absolutely dying out there,” she said.
“I don’t know how I pulled it out. To come out on top today and be in the final of Wimbledon is so incredibly special.”
Sabalenka has twice suffered heartbreak in major finals this year – losing in Australia to Madison Keys and then in Paris to Coco Gauff.
This time she will not even feature in Saturday’s showpiece, having played in the past three Grand Slam finals.
Anisimova was a tipped to win Grand Slam titles as a teenager.
As a 17-year-old she reached the 2019 French Open semi-finals, stunning defending champion Simona Halep and Sabalenka along the way.
Four years later, Anisimova took a break for her mental health for about seven months.
The Wimbledon final was likely not on her radar. At least not yet.
A run to the final of Queen’s, where she lost to Tatjana Maria, set her up well for a good run at the All England Club but few would have betted against the power, and experience at this point in a major, of Sabalenka.
But against Anisimova, it quickly became apparent that simply overpowering her opponent – as she has done so effectively numerous times – was not going to work.
Anisimova moved well, anticipated well and, crucially, returned superbly, particularly on the backhand.
The two could barely be separated until an intense game at 5-4 on Sabalenka’s serve featuring six deuces was gifted to Anisimova after an untimely double fault from the three-time major champion.
The heat played its part in a dramatic encounter and Sabalenka twice handed out water bottles and ice packs to spectators who had fallen ill.
After more exhausting tennis in the second set, it was again a double fault that swung the momentum as Sabalenka broke at 3-3, having coaxed Anisimova into a couple of mistakes.
Set points swiftly followed but it was never going to be straightforward and Anisimova hung on in a tough service game to save four and force Sabalenka to serve it out.
An immediate break of serve in the third set teed up the potential for Sabalenka to assert some dominance, but a scruffy service game followed and Anisimova won the next four games to take a decisive lead.
She held two match points at 5-4 in her quarter-final match before finding herself in a tie-break, and there was a glimmer of those nerves again as Sabalenka earned three break points while Anisimova served for the match.
But grit and determination powered Anisimova through and she recovered to take the match at the third opportunity.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka’s pursuit of a first Wimbledon final and first major away from the hard courts goes on.