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Former Wimbledon semifinalist names two things Amanda Anisimova needs to improve to win a Grand Slam

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Amanda Anisimova has come closer to winning a Grand Slam than ever before in 2025.

Anisimova reached the French Open semifinals in 2019 as a teenager, but she had been unable to match that until 2025 after facing various struggles.

That all changed this year, with Anisimova reaching the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open for the first time.

Although she was unable to win the titles, Anisimova has been predicted to win a Grand Slam in the future, but a former Wimbledon semifinalist believes she needs to make some improvements first.

Amanada Anisimova smiles and waves
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Alexandra Stevenson pinpoints Amanda Anisimova’s weaknesses

Former world number 18 Alexandra Stevenson knows exactly what it takes to reach the latter stages of a Grand Slam, having made it all the way to the semifinals of Wimbledon in 1999.

Stevenson, who also won a WTA doubles title with Serena Williams, was full of praise for Anisimova when speaking on The Inside-In Tennis Podcast and compared her backhand to former world number ones Lindsay Davenport and Tracy Austin.

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However, Stevenson also claimed that Anisimova’s serve and defensive attributes need improving for her to become a Grand Slam champion.

“That backhand is technically sound and it is a pure strike, it’s much like Lindsay Davenport’s backhand, the technique, Tracy Austin’s backhand, you can go down the list of the best backhands and the way she hits it is just…it’s just poetry in motion, because you watch how she hits the ball and it’s like everybody should look at that on the backhand side,” said Stevenson.

“Now, the serve she could use a couple of adjustments. I feel like because the women’s game, the serve is not a high priority and there’s a lot of issues within the top 10 in serving, that’s why [Elena] Rybakina won the year-end [WTA] Finals indoors. But, Amanda I feel like can beef up her serve, defence, and that will get her to win a Grand Slam.”

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Amanda Anisimova’s serving statistics in 2025

Stevenson’s point about Anisimova’s serve is supported by the serving statistics from the 2025 season.

Anisimova is the world number four, but she is actually the player who has hit the sixth highest number of double faults this year.

The 24-year-old also ranks outside the top 20 in terms of both service points and games won this year.

Amanda Anisimova’s serve in 2025Where it ranks her on the WTA Tour
Aces22013th
Double Faults260Only five players hit more double faults than Anisimova in 2025
Service Points Won %59.7%21st
Service Games Won %68.1%25th

Anisimova has a lot to be proud of from her breakthrough season, and she will now be looking to take it even further in 2026.

The two-time Grand Slam finalist will begin her 2026 season at the Brisbane International, as she prepares for the first Grand Slam of the year at the Australian Open.