Anisimova’s 'unsportsmanlike conduct' continues in Wimbledon semis despite $4K fourth-round fine

Amanda Anisimova’s Wimbledon campaign continued to stir headlines as the American reached the final with a hard-fought win over top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, but controversy followed as she was once again cited for unsportsmanlike conduct during the match.

This comes just days after receiving a $4,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct during her fourth-round victory over Linda Noskova. Despite her powerful performance on court, Anisimova’s repeated on-court outbursts have drawn criticism from every quarter.



Anisimova, the 13th seed, pulled off a stunning upset on Thursday, defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a hard-fought Wimbledon semifinal on Centre Court.


The 23-year-old now advances to Saturday’s championship match, where she will take on five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek in what promises to be a thrilling showdown.

The incident occurred in the second set when Anisimova celebrated a point prematurely, letting out a loud roar while Sabalenka was still chasing down the ball. The chair umpire quickly stepped in to address the early celebration, as the point had not yet been completed.

"I wasn't celebrating. It was just, like, a long grunt, I guess. I don't really know what the deal was there, because I didn't feel like it was interfering," Anisimova said at the post-match conference.

"It was just such a high-stakes match. I think we were both grunting a lot out there. We have a big game, so that's the outcome of it."


The 13th seed also drew criticism late in the deciding set when she benefited from a fortunate net cord during a rally but chose not to acknowledge the lucky break.

"She just wanted, I guess, badly to win this match," Sabalenka said. "It's on her if she doesn't feel like saying sorry."


As Anisimova prepares for her first Wimbledon final, her remarkable run at the All England Club is being increasingly clouded by questions over whether her emotional outbursts will continue to overshadow her on-court success.