Tough to digest double bagel, but Anisimova takes positives despite Wimbledon final nightmare
Jul 12, 2025; Wimbledon, United Kingdom; Amanda Anisimova of the United States returns a shot during the women's final match against Iga Swiatek of Poland on day 13 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
LONDON - There were two so-called 'double bagels' at this year's Wimbledon -- the term used to describe a match ending 6-0 6-0 -- and American Amanda Anisimova starred in both.
The first one launched the 23-year-old on the path to her first Grand Slam final as she thrashed Yulia Putintseva.
Sadly for her, she was on the receiving end of the second and it came at the worst possible time.
In front of a sweltering Centre Court crowd and millions of television viewers in Saturday's final, her hopes of winning the title evaporated in 57 cruel minutes as she was put through the wringer by Poland's Iga Swiatek.
The only other time a Wimbledon singles final was decided by a 6-0 6-0 scoreline was in 1911 when Dorothea Lambert Chambers beat fellow British player Dora Boothby.
Before Saturday, it had happened only once at any of the other Grand Slam finals, in 1988 when Steffi Graf demolished Natasha Zvereva in 34 minutes at the French Open. At least Anisimova almost stretched it to an hour.
It is customary in tennis finals these days for the runner-up to say a few words before the champion.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
World US slaps 30% tariffs on EU and Mexico; EU warns of countermeasures
Singapore S'pore shows what's possible when digital innovation is matched with purpose: UK foreign secretary
Singapore Casual racism should be tackled by getting more people to understand it is not acceptable: David Neo
Asia Fuel was cut off during take-off: Preliminary report on Air India crash
Singapore Pulling back the curtain: A backstage look at the 2025 NDP show segment
Singapore $3 cashback for hawker centre meals and shopping at heartland stores with DBS PayLah initiative
Singapore Body of 62-year-old man recovered from waters off East Coast Park
Asia Aerobridge hits Qantas plane at Sydney Airport, damaging engine, delaying flight
Anisimova probably wished Centre Court would open up and swallow her as she answered questions from former British player Annabel Croft, managing to hold herself together enough to say a few coherent words through the tears.
Later, in the relative sanctuary of the media conference room, she was reflective as she spoke of how she had been frozen by nerves in the biggest match of her career.
"It was tough to digest, it's not how I would have wanted my first Grand Slam final to go, I think I was in shock afterwards. It's not an easy thing to go through, losing 0 and 0."
A sense of perspective is perhaps easier for a player who was marked out as a future Grand Slam champion as a teenager but who needed to step away from the game for eight months in 2023 as she struggled with burnout and mental health issues.
Last year she did not even feature here, losing in the third round of qualifying when she was ranked 189th.
So despite how it ended, Anisimova preferred to try and take the positives from a run that included a scintillating semi-final win against world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
"I feel like the last two weeks, if anything, what I've learned it was you're never going to be perfect, and every match is different," Anisimova said.
"My fighting spirit has gotten me to the final of today. It wasn't me playing perfect in a way. There were matches where I struggled and I wasn't playing to my full potential. I think me just staying focused and fighting my way through certain moments and lifting myself up and trying to not get negative on myself was the most important thing.
"I think that's really what got me to the final." REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Olympic open water swimming champion Kristof Rasovszky hungry for more at world championships
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Hungarian open water swimmer Kristof Rasovszky will be looking to retain his 10km world title in Singapore. SINGAPORE – Kristof Rasovszky's body is a canvas that tells the story of his connection with water – sharks inked on his chest, Olympic rings on his rib, and a fish on his upper right arm. Each tattoo shows the Hungarian open water swimmer's affinity with aquatics, and it is no surprise that his favourite is the image of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, wielding his trident, on his right forearm. While Poseidon is known for his volatile temperament and command of the seas, Rasovszky is a steady and powerful force in his sport after navigating its challenging elements to become one of the world's best. 'I like water and being around water, so it's closely tied to who I am,' said Rasovszky of his tattoos in a video interview on European Aquatics' YouTube channel in 2024. At 28, he boasts a glittering resume that includes an Olympic gold from the 2024 Paris Games – his country's first in the event – and the 10km world title at the 2024 Doha championships. He earned his first 10km title at the European championships in May, along with golds in the mixed 4x1500m relay and men's 3km knock-out sprint, which is making its world championship debut in Singapore. As the open water swimming competition at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships gets underway at Sentosa's Palawan Green on July 15, Rasovszky will be among the favourites. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Singapore Man charged over distributing nearly 3 tonnes of vapes in one day in Bishan, Ubi Ave 3 Singapore Singapore to train more aviation and maritime officials from around the world Business Singapore's economy sees surprise expansion in Q2 despite US tariff uncertainty: Advance estimate Singapore High Court dismisses appeal of drink driver who killed one after treating Tampines road like racetrack Singapore 18 years' jail for woman who hacked adoptive father to death after tussle over Sengkang flat Singapore Jail, caning for man who had 285 child porn videos, including those that show infants Singapore Three power companies chosen to study carbon capture and storage to help Singapore decarbonise His success has only deepened his hunger for more. In an interview with World Aquatics in April, Rasovszky said it would be 'amazing' to replicate the Netherland's Sharon van Rouwendaal's feat of winning medals at three consecutive Olympics. Rasovszky made his debut at the quadrennial event in 2016, where he placed 35th in the 1,500m freestyle. He clinched the men's marathon swimming silver in Tokyo, before going one better in Paris. In the interview, he said: 'I feel less pressure because I achieved almost everything I could. But that doesn't mean I'm done. I still want to push myself to my limits ahead of Los Angeles 2028.' Other contenders in Singapore are France's Marc-Antoine Olivier, the 2023 world silver medallist who leads the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup standings in 2025 after claiming the 10km gold and 3km knockout sprint bronze in Sebutal, Portugal, and bronzes in Ibiza and Egypt. Olivier, a 2016 Olympics bronze medallist, has yet to win a world title in the 10km. His accolades on the world stage include the 5km and team golds at the world championships in 2017, and the 10km silvers he clinched in 2019 and 2024. Germany's Florian Wellbrock, world champion in 2019 and 2023 and 2020 Olympic gold medallist, could also be in the mix. After a disappointing eighth-place finish in Paris, he has had a strong start to the 2025 season with a World Cup victory in Egypt. In the women's competition, Olympic champion van Rouwendaal, a three-time world championships gold medallist, will not be defending her 5km and 10km titles. The Dutch swimmer announced in February that she would skip the event as she contemplates her future and focuses on giving back to the sport. Her absence could pave the way for Australia's Moesha Johnson to claim her first individual world title to add to her team bronze and gold from the 2023 and 2024 editions. Australia's Moesha Johnson (left) and Italy's Ginevra Taddeucci (right) are among the contenders for the women's 10km title at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships. PHOTO: MIKE LEWIS/WORLD AQUATICS After the Paris Games, Johnson took a few weeks off before returning to competition, including the Singapore leg of the Swimming World Cup where she took the 800m free silver. She has been in impressive form in 2025, recording two 10km victories at the Egypt and Portugal World Cup stops. In April, Johnson told the Australian Broadcast Corporation that her sights are set on the 2028 Olympics. She said then: 'So (before Paris) I said to myself, I wanted to go to (the 2025 World Championships in) Singapore, because if I just said to myself, Olympics and Olympics only, I think I would have fallen over myself pretty badly. 'So now I really try and have a vague goal in the back of my mind. If I don't, if I chose to stop then, that would have been fine as well. 'But it's definitely something that helps me get myself moving again.' The 27-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable rise since she began competing in open water swimming after missing out on Olympic qualification for Tokyo in the pool. She did not qualify for the 10km at the 2023 World Championships but a move to Germany to train under renowned distance coach Bernd Berkhahn, alongside athletes like Wellbrock, has reaped results. In Singapore, Johnson will also race in the 800m and 1,500m freestyle as she continues to establish herself as a dual threat in both the pool and open water. Italy's Ginevra Taddeucci, the bronze medallist from the Paris Olympics and current World Cup leader, is expected to be one of Johnson's toughest challengers, having finished runner-up in both races the Australian won this season. Spain's Angela Martinez Guillen, winner of the Ibiza World Cup leg is another strong contender for a podium finish in the women's 10km.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Basel, Lucerne give 'green light' to Women's Euro at soccer-themed pedestrian crossings
Find out what's new on ST website and app. BASEL, Switzerland - Pedestrians in host cities Basel and Lucerne are being greeted with female soccer-themed pedestrian walk lights, in celebration of the Women's European Championship in Switzerland. Pedestrian lights near the stadiums and fan zones of the cities, two of the eight tournament hosts, have replaced some of the green silhouettes of a walking person with a pony-tailed woman with a ball at her feet. "It's a great idea, especially for the women," said Linda van Stokkum of the Netherlands, who was walking to Basel's Euro 2025 fan zone. "I think Switzerland make it well organised and yeah, it's a good sign." German tourist Malte Wendt is a fan of the change. "To turn the traffic lights to women for the Euros is a pretty cool idea," he said. "I love it, actually." During the men's Euro last year in Germany, host city Frankfurt modified their pedestrian lights to feature a green player kicking a ball, and a red referee showing a red card. Basel will host the Euro 2025 final on July 27. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Singapore Man charged over distributing nearly 3 tonnes of vapes in one day in Bishan, Ubi Ave 3 Singapore High Court dismisses appeal of drink driver who killed one after treating Tampines road like racetrack Singapore Singapore to train more aviation and maritime officials from around the world Business Singapore's economy sees surprise expansion in Q2 despite US tariff uncertainty: Advance estimate Singapore 18 years' jail for woman who hacked adoptive father to death after tussle over Sengkang flat Singapore Jail, caning for man who had 285 child porn videos, including those that show infants Singapore Three power companies chosen to study carbon capture and storage to help Singapore decarbonise
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Taiyo Watanabe loses hair but not heart, as he leads Japan's water polo revival
Japan water polo star Taiyo Watanabe (left) scored four goals in the 22-16 loss to World Cup winners Spain at the World Aquatics Championships on July 12. SINGAPORE – Bearing a passing resemblance to Hollywood star Vin Diesel, Japan water polo driver Taiyo Watanabe is just as fast and furious in the pool. While the American actor shaves his head to maintain his trademark look, Watanabe has alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes complete loss of hair on the scalp and body. Although he shared with The Sunday Times that he was never bullied because of his condition, he was still perturbed when it first surfaced when he was eight, which was when he started playing water polo. The cheery 23-year-old said: 'I hated being seen by other people at the time and I was so negative. But as I became better in water polo, I started having more confidence in myself. 'I hope others in a similar situation can find something they enjoy doing. I felt it was important to show what I can do, and for me it is through water polo. 'At age eight, I enjoyed being able to throw a ball in the water, and I still do, and my success in the sport really cheered me up. I have met great teammates and feel great joy when I score. I realised that playing with energy is a lot of fun and I want people to see me doing well.' In and out of the pool, Watanabe is hard to miss. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Singapore Singapore to train more aviation and maritime officials from around the world Singapore 18 years' jail for woman who hacked adoptive father to death after tussle over Sengkang flat Business Singapore's economy sees surprise expansion in Q2 despite US tariff uncertainty: Advance estimate Singapore Jail, caning for man who had 285 child porn videos, including those that show infants Singapore Jail for woman who opened bank accounts that received over $640.7m, including scam proceeds Singapore Three power companies chosen to study carbon capture and storage to help Singapore decarbonise Singapore Driver assisting with police probe after e-bike rider injured in hit-and-run in Hougang As his team lined up for the national anthem at the OCBC Aquatic Centre ahead of their World Aquatics Championships (WCH) opener against World Cup winners Spain, he stood out among his teammates, who all have full heads of black hair. In the water, he was equally eye-catching, winning two sprints to help his 12th-ranked team start the first and third quarters with ball possession. He finished the match with four goals in their 22-16 loss to world No. 2 Spain. In the other Group B match, world No. 3 Hungary beat 11th-ranked Australia 18-6. In an earlier interview with World Aquatics, Japan coach Yoshinori Shiota said: 'Taiyo is one of the most talented water polo players in the world. 'He has a super-fast swimming speed and a brilliant shooting sense that no one can imitate. I believe he will lead Japan to the top of the world.' After becoming a national team regular at 21, Watanabe has used his qualities to help Japan regain the Asian Games gold in 2023 after a 53-year wait. They also posted an eighth-placed finish at the Men's Water Polo World Cup in January. The five-time Asian Games champions' re-emergence has led to several Japanese players being picked up by professional European teams, with captain Yusuke Inaba playing in Romania and Italy before returning to Montenegro to sign for Primorac Kotor. Watanabe is also making waves in Europe, signing for Spain's Barcelona after helping French side Pays d'Aix finish third and second in the last two seasons. He said: 'In Japan, we have just a three-day national championship and don't have a national league. In the European leagues, we learn how to defend and control the match better, and this is good for the players and the national team.' Aptly, his first name is the Japanese word for sun, and Watanabe noted that it is time for the Land of the Rising Sun to shine as the gap between Japan and the world's elite has narrowed. 'Everyone knows Japanese players are not tall, but we have good speed and defend well,' he said. 'At the Paris 2024 Olympics group stage, we lost 15-16 to champions Serbia and 13-14 to France in matches we could have won. Against Spain here, we tried to be more aggressive. 'Personally, I want to shine brightly as Japan's top player and top scorer. 'As a team, we have never made the top eight at the world championships, so that's our goal here.' Earlier in the day, Olympic champions and world No. 5 Serbia trounced South Africa 27-3 in Group A, while Italy beat Romania 17-5. In Group D, defending champions and world No. 1 Croatia also eased to a 25-6 win over China, before world No. 8 Montenegro upset Greece (fourth) 10-9. Croatia goalkeeper Marko Bijac attempting a save during their Group D match against China on July 12. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG In Group C, the United States comfortably beat Canada 18-9, while hosts Singapore (38th) were defeated 19-8 by Brazil in their championship debut. A mix of nerves and wanting 'very badly to score the first goal' saw the hosts trail 0-8 before they finally got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter. They eventually put on a more organised display in the second half, notching a scoreline of 7-10. Singapore's Sanjiv Rajandra taking a shot during their Group C match against Brazil on July 12. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG Rating the team's performance a four out of 10, Singapore coach Kan Aoyagi said: 'We were playing quite aggressively, but we made some wrong decisions in the first half. 'Once we got our confidence back and started to understand how to play against players who are 2m and 100kg, we played well. We needed time to adapt, but once they got used to it, it was too late. I hope we can do better in our next game against Canada (on July 14).' Sanjiv Rajandra, 23, who scored a joint game-high three goals, shared that their coach had prepared them for their opponents during training sessions, but that 'when nerves and fatigue set in, that slipped out of our mind'. He added: 'We made individual mistakes we don't usually make. Over the next few games, it's our duty to stop them from happening again and make sure the improvement will be there.'
