By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) -Iga Swiatek thrashed American Amanda Anisimova 6-0 6-0 to become the first Polish player to win a Wimbledon singles title on Saturday, ending a ludicrously lop-sided final in 57 minutes.
The 24-year-old eighth seed was merciless as she took brutal advantage of Grand Slam final debutant Anisimova’s leg-sapping nerves in front of a stunned Centre Court.
It turned into a nightmare afternoon for 13th seed Anisimova who became the first player to lose a Wimbledon final 6-0 6-0 for more than a century and the first to do so at any Grand Slam showpiece 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 straightforward.
She dropped only two games in her semi-final win against Belinda Bencic and was even more ruthless in the final, clinching victory with a backhand winner.
It was Swiatek’s sixth win from her first six Grand Slam finals and took her to 100 wins from 120 matches at the majors, the quickest to reach the century since Serena Williams in 2004.
After winning her first trophy since triumphing at Roland Garros 13 months ago, she is also the youngest player to win Grand Slam titles on all the sport’s three surfaces since Williams in 2002.
“It seems super surreal,” Swiatek, who arrived at Wimbledon under the radar with doubts about her ability to translate her claycourt skill to the lawns, said on court.
“I didn’t even dream (about this) because for me it was just like way too far. I feel like I’m already an experienced player, but I never really expected this one.”
One had to feel for Anisimova. She never settled, won only 24 points and made 28 unforced errors as her hopes of becoming the first American to win the title since Serena Williams in 2016 were trampled into the turf.
With tears welling up in her eyes, she managed to compose herself to say a few words.
“Even though I ran out of gas a bit today and I wish that I could put on a better performance for all of you, you guys have still been there for me and lifted me up today,” she said.
“I know I didn’t have enough today, but I’m gonna keep putting in the work, and I always believe in myself, so I hope to be back here again one day.”
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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