Iga Swiatek crushes Amanda Anisimova to win first Wimbledon title

Polish eighth seed Iga Swiatek clinched her first Wimbledon women's singles title as she decimated American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the final.

Not only was it one of the shortest Grand Slam finals in modern history, it was the first women's final at the tournament in 114 years in which a player failed to claim a single game.

Swiatek's victory on a sunny, breezy afternoon at Centre Court took just 57 minutes and gave Swiatek her sixth Grand Slam title. She is now 6-0 in major title matches.

The 24-year-old from Poland finished with a 55-24 edge in total points and accumulated that despite needing to produce merely 10 winners. Anisimova was shaky from the start and made 28 unforced errors.

It turned into a nightmare afternoon for 13th seed Anisimova who became the first player to lose a Wimbledon final 6-0, 6-0 since 1911 and the first to do so at any Grand Slam since Steffi Graf beat Natasha Zvereva at the 1988 French Open.

Swiatek, who had never gone beyond the Wimbledon quarter-finals before this year despite winning four French Open crowns, could never have imagined that claiming her sixth Grand Slam title could have been as easy.

She dropped only two games in her semi-final against Belinda Bencic and was even more ruthless in the final, clinching victory with a backhand winner.

Swiatek, who reached the final of the grass-court tournament at Bad Homburg two weeks ago, looked increasingly strong while the top seeds tumbled at the All England Club.

She lost just one set in her run to the final.

But Anisimova was expected to prove a stern test after ousting world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals.

Anisimova made a nervous start in hot conditions on Centre Court.

She was broken in the first game, soon slipping 2-0 behind and the signs looked ominous. She appeared to have found her feet in her next service game but Swiatek refused to give ground and recovered to move 3-0 ahead when Anisimova double-faulted.

At 4-0 down Anisimova was facing a first-set wipe-out but she was powerless to halt the rampant Swiatek, who sealed the first set 6-0 in just 25 minutes.

The American won just six points on her serve in the first set and committed 14 unforced errors.

A desperate Anisimova could not stem the tide in the second set, double-faulting again in the third game to give her opponent game point and then netting a backhand.

The crowd got behind her but to no avail as Swiatek kept up her level, serving out to win and celebrating before consoling her devastated opponent.

Anisimova left court briefly before returning for the trophy presentation.

Swiatek is Wimbledon's eighth consecutive first-time women's champion since Serena Williams won her seventh and final title at the All England Club in 2016.

Swiatek said she never expected to win her sixth Grand Slam title at the All England Club - her first ever title on grass.

"It seems super surreal," said Swiatek., who already has four French Open titles and the 2022 US Open to her name.

"I didn't even dream (of winning Wimbledon) because for me it was just like way too far," she added.

"I feel like I'm already an experienced player after winning the Slams before, but I never really expected this one... this is like the best thing that a player can have."

There was a stark contrast in emotions on Centre Court as Anisimova broke down in tears several times as she addressed the spectators and her family.

"You guys have carried me through this entire championship and it's been an incredible fortnight for me even though I ran out of gas a bit today," the American said.

"I wish that I could put on a better performance for all of you."

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

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Tips to stay safe during hot weather

Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.