Both players are understandably going to be nervous coming into the match – it’s the Wimbledon final! The outcome will likely come down to who manages the occasion better.
Anisimova was pretty nervous in her quarter-final win against Anastasia Pavyluchenkova, to the point where she kept dropping to the floor on her haunches in the last couple of games – even when it wasn’t match point.
It was an illustration of the feeling of desperation she was facing as she edged closer to victory.
We saw similar reactions a few times early on in the semi-final against Aryna Sabalenka too but she managed to settle more as the match went on.
Swiatek, having won majors and having been the world number one for such a long time, has the edge in terms of experience – that absolutely counts for a lot.
But Anisimova has nothing to lose. Of course she is desperate to win the Wimbledon final, but at the start of the fortnight she would never have thought she would actually be here in the championship match.
She can close her eyes in the final and have a swing – which fits best into what she does. This circumstances allows her to be more dangerous.
So she can go out there and play freely, whereas I think Swiatek might feel extra pressure.
Swiatek has never won the singles title here, she’s the higher ranked and many people will expect her to lift the trophy.
I think being the underdog favours Anisimova and it fits in well with her aggressive game style.
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