Anisimova will be the overwhelming, sentimental favorite—everyone, including Swiatek, knows that. But Anisimova has been very good about tamping down the revenge angle, and quashing the suggestion that the loss at Wimbledon has somehow been a benefit, making her a better player. Losing a Wimbledon final without winning a game was a painful, unforgettable blow, period. She has acknowledged it, and moved on.
“I don’t think it (losing) helped me become a better player in any way,” she said, explaining that “bouncing back” over the summer was somewhat difficult because that Wimbledon situation was so novel. “It wasn’t a good performance by any means. I feel like maybe I learned some things from it, and some things I can do differently. But above all, I think it was just a learning experience.”
Although Anisimova won the junior singles title here, this is the furthest Anisimova has gone in a main draw. Swiatek, the 2022 main draw champion, is a seasoned veteran who has played in 10 previous quarterfinals and knows what lies in store in these last, critical rounds.
“It really means a lot [to be this far],” Anisimova said, “because I know how hard it is to play at this Slam. It’s the city, and there’s a lot going on. Also, being a home slam, it puts a little bit more pressure on the American players, I think. But I really just tried to embrace it since the first day that I got here. It’s really a dream come true to be in the quarterfinal. I’m just very grateful.”
