Amanda records historic victory over all 2025 Grand Slam champions

RIYADH: Amanda Anisimova made tennis history at the WTA Finals, becoming the only player in 2025 to defeat all four Grand Slam champions of the year. The 23-year-old American achieved the milestone after rallying from a set and a break down to beat Madison Keys 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, keeping her semifinal hopes alive.

After the match, Anisimova expressed relief and pride in her on-court interview, admitting the match was tough and praising Keys for her performance. “I feel like every time I come out here, my opponent’s playing some incredible tennis; it’s been a tough few matches, and today Maddie was playing so well. It was quite a battle out there,” Anisimova said. “I’m really happy with how I was able to turn it around in the second set and kind of turn that frown upside down,” she added. The victory not only leveled Anisimova’s round-robin record at 1-1 but also secured a unique place in the 2025 season record book.

She has now defeated all four Grand Slam champions this year: Aryna Sabalenka (Australian Open), Iga Swiatek (Roland Garros), Coco Gauff (Wimbledon), and Madison Keys (US Open). With all four champions now on her list of conquests, Anisimova stands alone with this rare achievement. It is unlikely anyone else will match her feat, as the WTA Finals mark the final event of the season. Elena Rybakina could still achieve the sweep, having already beaten Sabalenka, Swiatek, and Keys in 2025, but she would need to face and defeat Gauff in the semifinals or final.

Jessica Pegula also came close but fell short, missing a win over Keys, and with Keys now eliminated, she no longer has the chance to complete the set. With this victory, Anisimova will now face Iga Swiatek on Wednesday. Both players sit at 1-1 in their group, each having lost to Rybakina, and will battle for a spot in the semifinals alongside the Kazakh star. Monitoring Desk