Swiatek soars past struggling Anisimova to first Wimbledon crown

Iga Swiatek sprinted to her first Wimbledon title after ruthlessly completing a 6-0, 6-0 demolition job of Amanda Anisimova.

The Pole recorded only the second double-bagel in a women’s singles final at SW19, 114 years after Dorothea Lambert Chambers achieved the feat against Dora Boothby.

Swiatek became Poland’s first ever singles champion at the All England Club, while she is also the third player to win each of her first six major finals after Margaret Court and Monica Seles.

Anisimova – only the second player in the Open Era to reach a major singles final after losing in qualifying the previous year – saw her first championship match at a grand slam ended inside just 57 minutes, with the American unable to build on the momentum of her memorable semi-final victory over world number one Aryna Sabalenka.

“It seems super surreal,” Swiatek said. “I feel like I’m already an experienced player after winning the slams I have before, but I never expected [to win] this one.

“There’s no tournament like this. Walking around here on Centre Court, for me, felt like huge pressure and a bit too much.

“But, this year, I really enjoyed it. I feel like I improved my game enough to feel comfortable here.

“It’s really amazing. I’m going to enjoy this moment.”

Swiatek came roaring out of the blocks, breaking in the opening game as she won eight of the opening 10 points. It set the tone early on as Anisimova struggled to settle into the occasion.

The Pole refused to relent, breaking twice more as her opponent rattled up three double-faults. Within just 25 minutes, she was already halfway to victory courtesy of a bagel.

Swiatek was only the fourth player to achieve the feat in the opening set of a women’s singles final at SW19, along with Billie Jean King, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova.

The omens looked even better, considering she had won 35 of her previous 36 matches this season when taking the first set.

Swiatek ruthlessly continued her onslaught as Anisimova just could not get going, letting out a scream as a wide forehand handed her opponent another break in the opening game of the second.

Another two followed and, with the final barely an hour old, the Pole’s 13-month wait for silverware was over, while her quest to achieve the surface slam was complete.

“It’s been such an incredible fortnight for me, even though I ran out of gas today,” an emotional Anisimova added.

“I know I didn’t have enough today, but I’m going to keep putting in the work. I always believe in myself, so I hope to be back here one day.”