Amanda Anisimova put last year’s heartbreaking Wimbledon final behind her with an assured opening-round victory on Tuesday, while the women’s singles draw witnessed one of its biggest early upsets as eighth seed Elina Svitolina suffered a shock exit at the hands of fellow Ukrainian Daria Snigur.
On a day filled with commanding performances and unexpected results at the All England Club, Anisimova showed why she remains one of the title contenders, comfortably defeating North Macedonia’s Lina Gjorcheska 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the second round. The American’s victory came just 12 months after enduring one of the toughest defeats of her career in the Wimbledon final, where she was beaten 6-0, 6-0 by Iga Swiatek.
Returning to the grass courts where she experienced both the joy of reaching her maiden Grand Slam final and the disappointment of a one-sided title defeat, Anisimova displayed confidence and composure throughout the 61-minute contest on Court Two.
Despite arriving at Wimbledon after dealing with a wrist injury in recent weeks, the 24-year-old looked physically comfortable and struck the ball cleanly from both wings. She dictated rallies from the baseline and rarely allowed Gjorcheska opportunities to settle into the match.
The North Macedonian qualifier, making history as the first player from her country to compete in a Grand Slam main draw, fought hard during the closing stages and produced moments of quality to delay the inevitable. However, Anisimova’s superior power and court coverage ultimately proved decisive.
Reflecting on her opening-round performance, Anisimova acknowledged the challenge posed by an opponent who had already built momentum through the qualifying rounds. “It’s not easy playing a qualifier who has had a few matches under her belt,” said Anisimova, who has struggled with a wrist injury in recent weeks. “She played great, we haven’t faced each other, so it was a tricky first round. I’m super excited to be back here.”
“When I got here I was filled with great memories and I’m trying to carry that vibe … trying to enjoy each day here.”
The victory marked a confident beginning for the American, who has steadily rebuilt her career after taking an extended break from the sport in 2023 to focus on her mental health. Since returning to the tour, Anisimova has re-established herself among the world’s leading players, with her breakthrough Wimbledon final appearance last year highlighting her resurgence. She will next face either Croatia’s Petra Marcinko or fellow American Sofia Kenin for a place in the third round.
While Anisimova enjoyed a smooth passage, the tournament suffered another major upset when eighth seed Elina Svitolina was knocked out in straight sets by compatriot Daria Snigur. Snigur produced an inspired display to defeat the experienced Ukrainian 7-5, 6-2, extending Svitolina’s wait for a maiden Grand Slam singles title.
The result ranks among the biggest surprises of the opening rounds, given Svitolina’s impressive record at Wimbledon. A former semifinalist at the Championships and one of the most consistent performers on the WTA Tour over the past decade, Svitolina struggled to cope with Snigur’s aggressive shot-making and fearless approach.
Snigur capitalised on key moments in the opening set before taking complete control in the second, sealing one of the biggest victories of her career. The upset continued a trend of unpredictable results in the women’s draw, where several seeded players have already found themselves under pressure during the opening week.
It was also another difficult day for the home contingent. British No. 2 Katie Boulter became the latest local player to exit after suffering a 4-6, 2-6 defeat to qualifier Tyra Caterina Grant, who was making her Grand Slam main draw debut. Grant produced an impressive performance, combining powerful groundstrokes with composed serving to outplay Boulter in front of the home crowd. The victory represents one of the biggest milestones of the young player’s career and announced her arrival on one of tennis’ biggest stages.
Boulter’s defeat added to Britain’s disappointing start to the Championships. The home nation’s hopes had already taken significant blows before the tournament even began. Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu withdrew from Wimbledon on Sunday because of injury concerns, while British men’s No. 1 Jack Draper was forced to pull out a day later after failing to recover in time.
With 19 British players featuring in the singles draws, including 12 wildcard entrants and three qualifiers, expectations were high for a strong showing. However, the early exits have significantly reduced home representation heading into the second round.
Elsewhere, several top contenders safely negotiated their opening matches as the battle for the women’s singles title gathered pace. Defending champion Iga Swiatek, who famously overwhelmed Anisimova in last year’s final, remains among the favourites alongside Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys.
For Anisimova, though, the opening-round victory represents more than just progression in the draw. It signals a confident return to the venue where she experienced both the highest and lowest moments of her career within the span of a fortnight.
Having erased any visible scars from last year’s painful final defeat, the American has once again positioned herself as a genuine contender. If her opening performance is any indication, Anisimova appears determined to write a very different ending to her Wimbledon story this year.
