Amanda Anisimova is back at Wimbledon with unfinished business, and she knows it. Twelve months after suffering one of the most lopsided Grand Slam final defeats in over a century, a 6-0 6-0 demolition by Iga Swiatek that echoed a scoreline unseen in the ladies' singles final since 1911, the American is determined to craft a different ending on the lawns of SW19.
What made last year's finale so jarring was the contrast with what came before it. Anisimova had defeated world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a gripping two-and-a-half-hour semi-final showdown, announcing herself as a genuine contender. The final, lasting a mere 57 minutes, left her in tears as she addressed her courtside family, including nephew Jackson, a regular presence throughout her run.
Yet the response was nothing short of extraordinary. Just six weeks later at the US Open, Anisimova returned to form with startling conviction, defeating Swiatek in the quarter-finals before beating two-time major champion Naomi Osaka to reach a second consecutive Grand Slam final. Managing nerves after such a traumatic experience, she admitted, was her greatest mental hurdle, one she overcame by leaning into the joy of competing rather than the weight of expectation.
This year's Wimbledon build-up has been more turbulent. A coaching split and a two-month absence from the clay season due to a left wrist injury interrupted her momentum, and a quarter-final exit at Queen's kept the rust visible. But Emma Raducanu, who has faced Anisimova four times in the past 18 months, noted in California that her improved focus and fighting quality now make her a consistently dangerous opponent.
"Excited to play and be healthy again", that's the mindset Anisimova is carrying into the fortnight. TennisDraw users tracking her bracket potential will find plenty of reasons to back her deep run.