RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Sometimes, at this late juncture of the WTA Finals’ round-robin matches, the semifinal scenarios can be daunting. Calculators and slide rules — maybe even a compass — might not be enough to navigate the obscure tiebreakers that can come into play.
Thankfully, there was only one possible outcome on Wednesday evening when No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek faced No. 4 Amanda Anisimova at the King Saud University Indoor Arena:
Winner take all.
No. 6 Elena Rybakina had already clinched the Serena Williams Group’s first semifinal berth and top seed before her 6-4, 6-4 victory over alternate Ekaterina Alexandrova, leaving this match to decide the final spot.
It was a banger. In what was undoubtedly the best stroke-for-stroke match of the tournament so far, Anisimova advanced with a 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2 win over Swiatek.
It was the first time in Swiatek’s career she’s lost back-to-back matches after winning the opening set.
Rybakina and Anisimova will await the results of Thursday’s two final round-robin matches that will determine their Friday semifinal opponents from the Stefanie Graf Group.
The first 23 games, constantly fraught with tension, did not feature a single break of serve. The match ran 2 hours and 36 minutes. Anisimova won 107 points, to Swiatek’s 103.
Anisimova, currently ranked a career-high No. 4, came in with some impressive credentials. She was the only player to qualify here from outside the Top 20 of the PIF WTA Rankings and the only one to beat each of the current Top 3 players — Aryna Sabalenka, Swiatek and Coco Gauff — this season. This is her first WTA Finals appearance.
WTA
The charged recent history between the two brought a distinct edge to this match. Swiatek was responsible for what almost certainly was the most difficult professional loss of Anisimova’s career, a 6-0, 6-0 scalding in the Wimbledon final. Showing remarkable fortitude, Anisimova returned the favor, knocking Swiatek out of the US Open with a 6-4, 6-3 quarterfinal victory.
For 59 minutes on Wednesday, it was a dead heat. Twelve straight service holds — a rarity these days — delivered them to a first-set tiebreak. To get there, Swiatek needed to save four break points, two of them serving at 5-all. Anisimova didn’t face even one.
It was 1-all when Swiatek asserted herself, hitting three straight winners to take a 4-1 lead that Anisimova never challenged. After playing so cleanly, a few cracks began to emerge in her game. When her last forehand soared long, an Anisimova anguished, extended groan climbed at least an octave.
And so it went, with service hold after hold. Finally, with Anisimova leading 5-4, Swiatek was broken and the match was level at a set apiece.
Swiatek saved two break points in each of her first two service games in the ultimate frame — but not a third. A double fault gave Anisimova a 3-1 lead. Given the tightness of the match, it felt like a lot more.
Anisimova, with some clutch serving a few more backhand winners, eased over the finish line.
This was an encouraging outing from Anisimova, who edged ahead in the head-to-head 2-1. In a season of career firsts, she’s into her first semifinal at the year-end championship.