Wimbledon 2025: Anisimova reaches last 16; lucky loser Sierra’s fairytale continues

American Amanda Anisimova became the first American through to the last 16 of this year’s Wimbledon with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 win over Hungary’s Dalma Galfi on Friday.

Not that the 13th seed was too impressed by her Independence Day display on a sunny Court Three.

“It was an incredibly tough match but I kept fighting,” the 23-year-old, one of five American women to reach the third round, said on court. “I think the quality wasn’t that great today but I will hit the practice courts tomorrow.”

Anisimova, a quarterfinalist in 2022, secured the decisive break of serve in the first set with a stunning lob to lead 5-3.

She had chances near the end of the second set too but was pegged back as 110th-ranked Galfi dug deep to break serve at 5-6 and set up a decider.

Anisimova let out a big scream as she broke serve early in the third set with a wrong-footing forehand and an even louder one when she saved a break point when leading 3-2.

Another break of serve put Anisimova in complete control but at 5-2 she double-faulted on break point down to give Galfi hope. But it did not prove costly for the American who sealed the win a game later to move through.

Meanwhile, Solana Sierra continued to make the most of her good fortune at Wimbledon as the Argentine became the first lucky loser to move into the fourth round of the grasscourt Grand Slam since tennis turned professional in 1968.

Solana Sierra of Argentina celebrates after winning against Cristina Bucsa.
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Getty Images

The 21-year-old squandered a match point and crashed in the final round of qualifying, but went into the main draw at the very last moment when Belgium’s Greet Minnen pulled out and she has not looked back since.

After seeing off Australia’s Olivia Gadecki and stunning local favourite Katie Boulter, she came through a challenging test against Spain’s Cristina Bucsa to win 7-5, 1-6, 6-1 and dropped to the ground in celebration.

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Sierra, who looked at her team in disbelief for several moments as she sat on the turf after match point, will pick up a cheque worth at least 240,000 pounds ($327,336) for her surprise run.

She meets Laura Siegemund or Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the next round.

Britain’s Sonay Kartal also surged into the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time with a remarkable turnaround performance against French qualifier Diane Parry as she won nine games in a row to come from 4-1 down to triumph 6-4, 6-2.

Parry, who hammered 12th seed Diana Shnaider in the last round, was in control early on as she mixed up low, slow backhand slices with a pounding forehand that left Kartal scratching her head.

Sonay Kartal in action against Diane Parry during their women’s singles third-round match.
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AFP

The Briton eventually got to grips with the challenge, however, and, roared on by a partisan Number One court crowd, began an unstoppable drive that secured the first set and put her 4-0 up in the second.

Parry’s spirit seemed to have disappeared along with her accuracy and the 23-year-old battling Briton took full advantage with a relentless forehand fusillade to claim the biggest victory of her injury-hit career.