For almost 45 minutes, Simona Halep handed out a public flogging to a shell-shocked Amanda Anisimova in their Wimbledon quarter-final on Wednesday.
It was getting so bad for Anisimova, her fellow American John McEnroe quipped while commentating: “This is bordering on embarrassing… this will be over in 10 minutes.”
McEnroe’s prediction was a little off but 2019 champion Halep will be fancying her chances of reaching a second Wimbledon final in three editions after subjecting a red-faced Anisimova to a 6-2 6-4 mauling on Centre Court.
“It’s great to be back in the semi-finals. I’m very emotional right now. It means a lot,” the beaming Romanian told the crowd after setting up a last-four showdown with 17th seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.
For Anisimova, everything that could go wrong, went wrong.
The 20-year-old American had struck a tournament-leading 108 winners coming into the quarter-finals, but those shots were in short supply against an opponent who feels at home on grass and has not dropped a set in these championships.
From 1-1 in the opening set, Halep won five games in a row in a breathtaking performance that seemed to impress the likes Rod Laver, Stefan Edberg and David Beckham watching on from the Royal Box.
