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Updated 12s ago
Amanda Anisimova (13) was blown away by four-time French Open champion Iga Świątek (8) in the final of the women’s singles at Wimbledon, losing 6-0, 6-0.
Anisimova becomes the first woman to lose a Wimbledon final in the Open Era without winning a game.
Świątek won her first Wimbledon title in just 57 minutes to become a six-time Grand Slam champion. She will soon be awarded the Venus Rosewater Dish by Catherine, Princess of Wales and will also collect a prize pot of more than $4million.
Get in touch with your thoughts on today’s final by emailing live@theathletic.com.
What a fitting way for Iga Świątek to cap off a historically dominant performance, with a beautiful shot down the line for the final point.
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Świątek practically jogs over to console Anasimova in a very classy gesture. She then leaps into the stands to embrace her team and family.
What a moment.
Anisimova 0-6, 0-6 Świątek
HISTORY!
The first double bagel in a Wimbledon final in the Open Era.
What a performance.
Anisimova looked like she was on the verge of tears during those past few games. She started crying a bit during that last change. Just tough to watch.
Anisimova 0-6, 0-5* Świątek
Świątek's breaks almost seem easier than her holds, that's how well she's been returning today.
One game away from a Wimbledon title and the cherry (strawberry?) on top of a historically dominant performance.
This is growing increasingly difficult to watch.
Amanda Anisimova has quite understandably allowed her head to drop and the cries of frustration are becoming more frequent now.
If she’s broken in this game she would be on the verge of becoming the first woman to lose a Wimbledon final 6-0, 6-0 in the Open Era.
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Anisimova 0-6, *0-4 Świątek
Świątek forces Anisimova to change direction and once again, the American is too slow to keep up.
This is a demolition.
Anisimova 0-6, 0-3* Świątek
Once again, Świątek breaks thanks to multiple double faults from Anisimova, who still looks incredibly stiff and uncomfortable every time she tosses a ball in the air.
This is just brutal to watch for Anisimova and absolutely clinical from Świątek.
On ESPN, Chris Evert is calling this the best match she's ever seen Iga Świątek play. Evert also compared this match to when she lost to Billie Jean King 6-0, 7-5 on this stage in 1973, saying she was "in a fog" after the first set. Like Anisimova today, that was Evert's first major final.
Martina Navratilova’s 6-0, 6-3 victory over Andrea Jaeger in the 1983 Wimbledon final is the quickest in the Open Era history of the tournament. It lasted just 54 minutes.
Świątek now leads Anisimova 6-0, 2-0. The final started 35 minutes ago.
Anisimova 0-6, *0-2 Świątek
If and when Anisimova wins a game, Centre Court might explode like it's match point.
But that's becoming more of an if. Świątek is a maestro right now, perfectly placing a drop shot to go up 2-0 in set two.
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Anisimova visibly slowed down her serve routine after that Świątek miss at 0-30, basically the first gift she has given the American so far.
It worked, and Anisimova played a lovely drop shot off a return to get to 30-30.
But Świątek immediately brings back the calm, counter-punching style that she has used all fortnight, and waits for the error from Anisimova's forehand side. Two duly come and it's seven straight games for the five-time Grand Slam champion, who has never lost a major final.
Anisimova 0-6, 0-1* Świątek
That's now seven straight games taken by Świątek, who continues to punish Anisimova by moving her side to side. Anisimova's forehand has completely abandoned her.
Anisimova 0-6, *0-0 Świątek
And now that's a zero break for Świątek.
The legendary Martina Navratilova, watching from the royal box today, was the last women's singles player here to win the opening set of a final 6-0 back in 1983.
Until Świątek just now.
Świątek has a pretty simple blueprint here: make Anisimova move side to side. It's particularly noticeable that she is hitting to Anisimova's strength — her wondrous two-handed backhand — a lot. It's kind of an alpha move to go to an opponent's best shot that frequently, and Świątek isn't just hitting back and forth.
She's breaking the sideline with her backhands, while Anisimova's tend to come in more straight. The angle Świątek creates pulls Anisimova wide, taking her off-balance and opening the deuce court, where Świątek can then unleash her forehand or her formidable inside-out backhand.
Anisimova is nervous, her serve is shot and it's not going well. But Świątek is still visibly executing a plan and it's working perfectly.
Anisimova 0-5* Świątek
Zero hold for Świątek and she's barely breaking a sweat, even in the summer heat. At this rate, Anisimova is just trying to not get shut out.
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Anisimova* 0-4 Świątek
The American has 10 unforced errors already after hitting three balls into the net on that last point.
This is rough to watch. The crowd is attempting to prod her on, but Anisimova looks lost out there. Świątek doesn't even have to do much right now.
And then Ansismova double faults to start the fifth game…
Anisimova 0-3* Świątek
Oof. Anisimova drops from 40-15, allowing Świątek back into the game thanks to two double faults, including the deciding point.
Anisimova is really struggling to make a first serve, and looks increasingly frustrated every time she misses one. She really needs to start making some of those with how well Świątek is returning right now.
It might actually suit Świątek better for Anisimova to win her first game sooner than later, strange as that might sound. If this set is a procession, the crowd are going to pull for Anisimova almost exclusively. Not out of any antipathy toward Świątek, but because they want to see a match.
The cheer for the underdog dynamic is a little quirk of tennis, and it can make the player who is romping to victory — especially in a match like this — feel a little strange.
