Wimbledon semi-finals Highlights: Swiatek beats Bencic to set up final clash with Anisimova

Iga Swiatek seems to have surprised herself with the run to the final. 

"Honestly, I never even dreamt that it would be possible for me to play in a Wimbledon final. I’m just super excited and incredibly proud of myself. I don’t know — it keeps surprising me. I thought I’d experienced everything on a tennis court, but I’d never experienced playing this well on grass. It’s the first time, and I’m just super, super excited and really enjoying it,:" Iga said. 

And she clarifies her choice of music. 

Iga Swiatek has ended her long wait of playing in the summit clash of Wimbledon after advancing to the final of the ongoing edition.

On Thursday, July 10, Swiatek took an hour and 11 minutes to beat Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0 on Centre Court. 

Iga Swiatek is marching towards victory. She is now a double break up and is leading 4-0 in the second set. 

Bencic needs something very special to bounce back. 

Iga Swiatek leads Belinda Bencic 6-2, 4-0 after the second set in the second women's semi-final.

Iga Swiatek is running over Belinda Bencic on Centre Court. The Pole has taken a 2-0 lead with an early break of serve in the second set 

Bencic has looked completely helpless in the match. 

Iga Swiatek leads Belinda Bencic 6-2, 2-0 after the second set in the second women's semi-final.

Iga Swiatek faced two breaks points in the opening game of the second set, trailing 15-40. But the Pole made a comeback to hold serve. 

Here is a chance for Swiatek to go a break up, just how she did in the opening set. 

Iga Swiatek leads Belinda Bencic 6-2, 1-0 after the first set in the second women's semi-final.

Iga Swiatek has won the opening set against Belinda Bencic in only 37 minutes on Centre Court. 

Swiatek earned her second break of the set to have the last laugh. 13 winners helped her as well

Is there fight left in Bencic? 

Iga Swiatek leads Belinda Bencic 6-2 after the first set in the second women's semi-final.

Iga Swiatek is just one away from winning the opening set against Belinda Bencic, who hasn't found it easy thus far on Centre Court.

Iga Swiatek leads Belinda Bencic 5-2 in the first set in the second women's semi-final.

Belinda Bencic played the best tennis of the match in the sixth game of the opening set. She won four points on the trot to hold Iga Swiatek at love. 

Can Bencic work on his game more to earn that break, which could help her make a comeback. 

Iga Swiatek leads Belinda Bencic 4-2 in the first set in the second women's semi-final.

Yet again, play came to a halt after a fan in the crowd became ill. The heat is taking a toll on the audience present on Centre Court. 

Meanwhile, will the break help Bencic and disturb Swiatek's momentum? 

Iga Swiatek has taken a significant 3-0 lead in the opening set with an early break of serve. The Pole has arguably looked the better of the two players. 

How will Bencic respond from here? 

Iga Swiatek leads Belinda Bencic 2-0 in the first set in the second women's semi-final.

A top service game from Iga Swiatek. She looks ready for the big game. She fires in a forehand down-the-line winner to take the opening game. 

Belinda Bencic played a sensational quarter-final against 7th seed Mirra Andreeva. Can she ease into this game? Swiatek won't allow her time at the start. She needs to be tuned in from the word go. 

It's time for the second women's singles semi-final. Iga Swiatek and Belinda Bencic are out there on Center Court.

The winner will take on Amanda Anisimova in saturday's final. 

Iga Swiatek is the favourite for the semi-final and has odds in her favour with a 3-1 lead over Bencic on the head-to-head count. 

They met once at the Wimbledon where Swiatek beat Bencic 6-7, 7-6, 6-3 in the pre-quarters of the 2023 edition. 

Amanda Anisimova is into her second Grand Slam final, first since her run to the French Open as a 17-year-old in 2019. She was once the wunderkind of American tennis. But she took a mental health break in 2023, stating it was difficult for her to cope with the rigours of professional sport.

She started last year ranked below 400 and lost in the third round of qualifying of Wimbledon. However, she has had a sensational 2025 in which she has reaped the benefits of the break. 

She speaks to the broadcaster after her first win over a World No. 1. Excerpts.

Q: You’ve made some very brave decisions in your career, but today you played some very brave tennis. You’re through to the Wimbledon final – how does it feel?

A: Honestly, it doesn’t feel real right now. Aryna is such a tough competitor, and I was absolutely dying out there. I really don’t know how I pulled it off.

She’s such an incredible competitor and an inspiration to me – and I’m sure to so many others as well. We’ve had so many tough battles, and to come out on top today, and be in the Wimbledon final, is just incredibly special. The atmosphere today was amazing.

I know she’s the world number one, but I could hear so many people cheering for me – so I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone.

Having my beautiful family here makes it even more special – my sister, my nephew, my brother-in-law and his whole lovely family. And I think my best friend is supposed to be somewhere... but I couldn’t spot her at first – Priscilla, you’d better be here! Oh, you’re right there – okay, let’s go!

And to my amazing team – what a journey it’s been over the past two weeks. It’s been so special. Thank you for sharing it with me. And not just these last two weeks – Amanda, it’s been the last two years. These are the people who’ve stood by me.

Q: Did you always believe you’d get back to this point?

A: To be honest, if you’d told me I’d be in the Wimbledon final, I wouldn’t have believed you – at least not this soon. It’s been a huge turnaround in the past year since coming back. To be in this position – it’s not easy. So many people dream of competing on this incredible court, and to be in the final… it’s honestly indescribable.

After the thriller between Aryna Sabalenka and Amanda Anisimova, it's time for the other semi-final on Centre Court. 

5-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek will be up against Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.

Both players are looking for their maiden Wimbledon final berth and the match is expected to be a thriller. 

Well, that's some stat for the 23-year-old. 

Amanda Anisimova has done it! She converts her fourth match point. The American is into her maiden Grand Slam final. 

She breaks Sabalenka's serve again to storm into the final.

She is the first American in six years to reach the women's singles final at Wimbledon. The last one to reach the final Saturday here was Serena Williams. 

Sabalenka is looking gutted. 

She suffers her third semi-final exit at Wimbhledon. 

That's Sabalenka for you! She is not going to go away so easily. She breaks back and now the final set is back on serves. She still trails 4-5 and she has to serve to stay in the set. 

Are we going to see a final set tie-breaker? 

Sabalenka nearly was broken again. She was put under pressure in that service game. But, she holds to hang on in the set. Can the World No. 1 find a way?

A huge service game up next for Anisimova. 

Amanda Anisimova! Remember the name! She is playing lights out tennis on Center Court. The 23-year-old American was facing two break points, but she holds her composure to hold serve. A stunning cross-court forehand to seal the game and head 4-1 up in the third set. 

Sabalenka looks dejected. 

Can she fight back? She needs to hold her serve first to stay in the hunt. 

This is sensational from Amanda Anisimova. She has broken Aryna Sabalenka again to go 3-1 up in the third set. 

Anisimova has put immense pressure on Sabalenka with her clean ball striking. She has hit her returns deep into the court, making it difficult for Sabalenka to find angles and powers. 

Can she keep her composure and surge ahead? 

Aryna Sabalenka looked to size early momentum when she broke Amanda Anisimova's serve in the opening game of the third set. However, Sabalenka has been broken back in the very next game. 

This is brilliant tennis from Anisimova. It could have easily slipped away from here had she not punched right back. And she does. 

Anisimova has matched Sabalenka stroke-to-stroke in the semi-final. 

It's 1-1 in the deciding set.  

Aryna Sabalenka has taken the second set against Amanda Anisimova.

After not being able to convert four set points on Anisimova's serve, Sabalenka converted the fifth on her own to come up trumps. 

The third set is expected to be an absolute thriller, so fasten your seatbelts. 

The Amanda Anisimova vs Aryna Sabalenka stands at 6-4, 4-6 after the second set. 

Aryna Sabalenka got four set-point chances in the ninth game, but she failed to convert even one of them. Amanda Anisimova, somehow, managed to hold her serve. 

But now Anisimova needs the break to stay alive in the second set on Centre Court. 

Amanda Anisimova leads Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-5 in the women's singles semi-final.

Aryna Sabalenka is now a game away from sealing the second set. But for that, she needs to earn her second service break in the set. Nevertheless, she is in command in the set. 

Does Amanda Anisimova have an answer? 

Amanda Anisimova leads Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 3-5 in the women's singles semi-final.

Aryna Sabalenka finally has the break, much-needed for the World No.1. Is this the spark that Sabalenka needed to bounce back?

And it came after Anisimova made a double fault.

All Sabalenka needs to do is hold her serve to force a third setter. 

Amanda Anisimova leads Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 3-4 in the women's singles semi-final.

Amanda Anisomova is currently on a lead in the second set, although she is yet to get a break. Sabalenka, meanwhile, keeps waiting for her first service break on Centre Court. 

It's not getting any easier for the World No.1, who's looking for her maiden Wimbledon final berth.  

Amanda Anisimova leads Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 3-2 in the women's singles semi-final.

Aryna Sabalenka has hold serve in her first game of the second set, but she is in urgent need of a service break after going down in the first. 

Anisimova, on the other hand, wouldn't want to let Sabalenka off the hook. 

Amanda Anisimova leads Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 1-1 in the women's singles semi-final.

Just what the doctor ordered for Anisimova. The American 13th seed has won the opening set against Aryna Sabalenka, who has looked nervous until now on Centre Court. 

In the quarter-final, Sabalenka rallied back from a set down against Laura Siegemund. Can she do it now against Anisimova? 

Amanda Anisimova leads Aryna Sabalenka 6-4 in the women's singles semi-final.

Amanda Anisimova has a golden chance of closing out the first set. But for that to happen, she has to break Aryna Sabalenka's serve.

None of the players have been able to earn a service break thus far on Centre Court. 

The Amanda Anisomova vs Aryna Sabalenka semi-final stands at 5-4.

After failing to convert any of her two break point chances in the sixth game, Anisimova almost dropped her serve.

Sabalenka had four chances to break, but Anisimova got herself out of jail to hold serve on Centre Court.  

The Amanda Anisomova vs Aryna Sabalenka semi-final stands at 4-3.

Aryna Sabalenka has managed to survive a scare as she managed to save two break points to hold serve. Anisimova will be disappointed for letting the World No.1 off the hook. 

The Amanda Anisomova vs Aryna Sabalenka semi-final stands at 3-3.

The match has been paused for a bit as one of the fans in the crowd was in some discomfort due to the scorching heat in London. 

Sabalenka went over with some water as the temperatures are around 30 degrees Celsius on Centre Court. 

It was just after Sabalenka saved two break points from being 2-3, 15-40 down

We have had four games thus far and both Anisimova and Sabalenka are yet to fetch a break point chance. Their service has been on point thus far as both players have looked composed on Centre Court. 

The Amanda Anisomova vs Aryna Sabalenka semi-final stands at 2-2.

Decent service games thus far from Anisimova and Sabalenka as both players are looking to get into their groove. Sabalenka has had her troubles with her serves in the tournament and would want to be much more clinical. 

The Amanda Anisomova vs Aryna Sabalenka semi-final stands at 1-1.

The first semi-final between Amanda Anisimova and Aryna Sabalenka on Centre Court is underway. 

Sabalenka is the favourite on current form, but with a 5-3 head-to-head record over the World No.1, Anisimova will fancy her chances. 

Sabalenka will also look to break her semi-final jinx at the All England Club. 

The past favours Amanda Anisimova, who has a 5-3 lead over Aryna Sabalenka on the head-to-head count. 

In Grand Slams, the record is 2-2, but it's the first time they will be locking horns at Wimbledon. 

In their previous meeting in the Round of 16 at French Open 2025, Sabalenka beat Anisimova 7-5, 6-3.  

Aryna Sabalenka and Amanda Anisimova will face each other in the first semi-final of the day on Centre Court. 

For Sabalenka, it's her third semi-final at the All England Club. In 2021, Sabalenka lost to Karolina Pliskova while Ons Jabeur beat her in 2023. Will 2025 be third time lucky for the World No.1? 

As for Anisimova, she will be playing in her maiden Wimbledon semi-final. 

Sabalenka is the favourite, but Anisimova has the potential to spring a surprise.