Amanda Anisimova, who stepped away from tennis two years ago due to mental health concerns and burnout and then lost in Wimbledon qualifying a year ago, is on the verge of a remarkable turnaround.

The No. 13 seed stunned No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, to reach her first major final at Wimbledon. She will face either No. 8 Iga Switaek -- who routed unseeded Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0, – in Saturday’s championship. Swiatek will be bidding for her sixth major singles titles, and Anisimova her first.

“Yeah, this doesn’t feel real right now, honestly,” Anisimova said on court. “Aryna’s such a tough competitor and I was absolutely dying out there. I don’t know how I pulled it out. She such an incredible competitor and she’s such an inspiration to me, and I’m sure for so many other people.

“We’ve had so many tough battles and to come on top today and be in the final of Wimbledon is just so incredibly special and the atmosphere was incredible today.”

Anisimov, 23, has career prize money of over $6.5 million, but will take home about $4.1 million if she wins on Saturday.

The last American woman to win Wimbledon was Serena Williams in 2016.

Anisimova is attempting to become the third different American woman to win a Grand Slam this year after Madison Keys won the Australian Open and Coco Gauff captured Roland Garros. Sabalenka was the loser in both of those finals.

American Jessica Pegula also reached the U.S. Open final last summer, losing to Sabalenka.

Anisimova improved to 6-3 against Sabalenka.

“To be honest, if you told me I would be in the final of Wimbledon, I would not believe you,” Anisimova said of her journey. “At least not this soon because it’s been a year turnaround since come back. And to be in this spot, it’s not easy and so many people dream of competing on this incredible court. And to be in the final is just indescribable, honestly.”

In the decisive third set, Anisimova was broken at love in the first game after leaving the court following the second set.

But Anisimova broke back immediately and then broke again for 3-1 when Sabalenka sailed a wide-open short forehand long. Anisimova held for 4-1 with a brilliant forehand crosscourt winner.

Serving for the match at 5-3, Anisimova had a match point but was broken when she sailed a backhand long.

But in the next game, Anisimova went up 0-30 with a backhand drop shot winner. She got up 0-40 when Sabalenka sailed a backhand deep.

With Sabalenka serving at 30-40, Anisimova hit a forehand crosscourt winner on her fourth match point to complete the biggest win of her life.

In the first set, Sabalenka double-faulted on set point to give Anisimova the early lead.

But in the second set, Anisimova’s level dropped. Her first-serve points won dropped to 52% from 82% in the first set, and Sabalenka took advantage. She closed out the first set with a service winner.

It was 3-all, 30-0 on Anisimova’s serve but she made a forehand error to fall behind break point and then double-faulted to give Sabalenka a break for 4-3.

Born in Freehold, N.J. to parents who immigrated from Russia, Anisimova reached the French Open semifinals in 2019 when she was 17.

But she began to experience burnout and took a break from the tour from May 2023-June 2024.

A year ago, she lost in qualifying at Wimbledon but then rebounded to reach the Canadian Open final last August.

This year she reached the Round of 16 at Roland Garros and the final of Queen’s Club in the leadup to Wimbledon.

“Now, every tennis player will want to take eight months off, let me tell you,” Chrissie Evert said on ESPN. “If you’re going to come back and play like that, that was awesome how she held her nerve.”