Anisimova Cruises Into Wimbledon Second Round as Svitolina Falls to Snigur
Yemen Herald News 
Amanda Anisimova opened her 2026 Wimbledon campaign with a commanding first-round victory, signalling her intent to move past the painful memory of last year’s final. The sixth-seeded American needed just 61 minutes to dispatch qualifier Lina Gjorcheska of North Macedonia 6-3, 6-2, striking four aces and winning 83 percent of her first-serve points in a clinical display. The win was more than a routine opener; it was a measured first step for a player who has spent the past twelve months trying to shake off the memory of a chastening 2025 final in which she failed to win a single game.
That final still frames Anisimova’s story at the All England Club. A year ago she reached the first Grand Slam final of her career after a superb run that included a semi-final win over the formidable Aryna Sabalenka. Yet the title match brought a rare and brutal humbling, as Iga Swiatek produced a near-flawless performance to win 6-0, 6-0 in only 57 minutes, just the second such scoreline in a women’s major final in the Open era. For a player who had only recently announced herself among the sport’s elite, the defeat was as emotionally testing as it was unexpected.
To her credit, Anisimova refused to let the setback define her. She regrouped quickly, and within weeks she was back in a Grand Slam final, this time at the US Open, where she again faced Sabalenka. The Belarusian proved too strong once more, retaining her title with a 6-3, 7-6 win, but Anisimova’s run to a second consecutive major final underlined her resilience and her rising status in the game. Reaching back-to-back finals, even in defeat, offered proof that her Wimbledon breakthrough had been no accident.
After her opening win in London this year, Anisimova spoke about the importance of settling early and building rhythm. She admitted that returning to the tournament carried a particular emotional weight, but said she felt calmer and more assured than she had anticipated. She also expressed her hope of progressing onto the show courts as the tournament deepened, the larger arenas where she has historically felt most comfortable and produced her best tennis. That confidence is likely to matter as the draw begins to toughen around her.
Her route back to full fitness has been anything but smooth. A wrist injury forced her to miss important clay-court events in Madrid and Rome, and she later acknowledged feeling physically and mentally drained by a demanding stretch of the season. Long training blocks without the certainty of match play left her searching for a balance between fitness and competitive sharpness. Against that backdrop, an efficient opening victory carried added value, allowing her to bank confidence without expending unnecessary energy. She will next meet former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, a seasoned and dangerous opponent capable of testing her composure.
There was history on the other side of the net as well. At 31, Gjorcheska was among the oldest women in the professional era to make her Grand Slam main-draw debut, and the first player from North Macedonia to reach a major singles main draw. Her achievement in coming through qualifying was a notable story in its own right, even if the occasion ultimately belonged to the more experienced American across the net.
Elsewhere in the women’s draw, several leading names were made to work hard for their places in the second round. Elena Rybakina, the 2022 champion at the All England Club, survived a scare on Court One, recovering to beat France’s Loïs Boisson 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 in a match that also marked her 300th career tour-level win. Madison Keys showed similar grit, dropping the opening set before overcoming compatriot Kayla Day 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 in a contest that stretched beyond two hours. Jasmine Paolini, a beaten finalist here two years ago, produced perhaps the most dramatic turnaround of the round, losing the first set to love before rallying to defeat Robin Montgomery 0-6, 6-4, 7-5.
The most striking result of the day, however, was the early departure of eighth seed Elina Svitolina. The Ukrainian, a two-time semi-finalist at Wimbledon, was beaten 7-5, 6-2 by her compatriot Daria Snigur in just 68 minutes. Svitolina had raced into an early lead but was unable to hold it, as the world number 77 grew in confidence and struck through the court with increasing authority. It was Svitolina’s first opening-round exit at Wimbledon since 2018 and Snigur’s first win over a top-10 opponent since 2023, a result that reinforced the tournament’s early sense of unpredictability.
For Anisimova, the challenge now is to sustain her momentum and allow the memories of last year to recede a little further with each round. Her performance against Gjorcheska suggested a player moving firmly in the right direction, combining aggression with a welcome sense of composure. If she can maintain that balance against progressively stronger opposition, she has the game to mount another deep run at a venue that has already shaped so much of her career. As the competition intensifies, players across the draw will need to master not only the physical demands of grass-court tennis but also the mental pressures that come with performing on the sport’s most storied stage.
About the Author
