American women have thrived on this year’s WTA tour, with Madison Keys breaking her Grand Slam duck in Melbourne before Coco Gauff added a 2nd Grand Slam crown in Paris.
Who would have thought- in the light of those achievements – that Amanda Anisimova would go on to be America’s brightest light at the end of the season? The little engine that could, Anisimova has overcome a litany of personal setbacks to pull within spitting distance of that coveted American No.1 ranking. Sitting at 4th in the WTA live rankings, Anisimova is now less than 1000 points away from Gauff after her recent Beijing win. With Anisimova opting to skip the Wuhan Open due to injury, I thought this was the ideal time to chart Anisimova’s unconventional route to the upper echelons of the game.
(2017-2019)- Insane potential meets personal tragedy
Nobody doubted Anisimova’s talent. She enjoyed a highly decorated junior career, beating Coco Gauff in the final of the 2017 US Open girls’ final. She managed to parlay that magnificent junior Grand Slam form into tangible success in the professional arena, beating established pro’s Sabalenka and Halep en route to a semifinal run at the 2019 French Open.
But all that momentum came to a halt in late 2019, as Anisimova’s father died of a heart attack on the eve of the US Open. Still a teenager at the time, Anisimova was completely devastated and opted to withdraw from Flushing Meadows. She qualified for the season-ending WTA Elite Trophy but chose not to participate.
(2020-2023)- Ebbs and Flows
As with many young players, Covid caused real turmoil in Anisimova’s development. She struggled for consistency in 2020 and 2021, offering few glimpses of the player she would become. But she did come out of her shell during the 2022 campaign, reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals while winning a 2nd career title in Melbourne. She performed consistently throughout that campaign, reaching the quarterfinals in seven events. 2023 would prove to be a watershed moment in Anisimova’s career, with the big-hitting American opting to take some time away from action due to burnout. Her decision to focus on mental health was both brave and risky (time waits for nobody in elite tennis).
(2024- now)- The rise of a champion
I honestly think that her decision to take time away from court was the foundation for her present success. She battled upon her immediate return to action, with inconsistent form plaguing the first half of the campaign. But she showed her class at the WTA 1000 event in Canada, reaching a maiden WTA 1000 final in a portent of what was to come this season.
She has been nothing short of sensational this campaign, claiming WTA 1000 titles in Qatar and Beijing while finishing runner-up at SW19 and Flushing Meadows. Her backhand has been a thing of wonder this year (she hit her average backhand with more power than anyone- man or woman- during her recent US Open run). She has served more consistency, and her movement has become elite (shoutout to strength and conditioning coach Rob Brandsma).
Turning a double-bagel into success
The way that Anisimova recovered from that nightmarish Wimbledon final defeat speaks volumes to her mental fortitude. She was completely overwhelmed by Swiatek in the Wimbledon Championship match, double-bageled on arguably the biggest stage in the sport. But she managed to bounce back in her very next meeting with the Pole, soundly dispatching of Swiatek in straight sets in their US Open quarterfinal meeting. The Anisimova of a few years back would have battled to recover from the scar-tissue of that recent humiliation.
Her annihilation of Gauff in the recent Beijing semifinals could be a sign of things to come next year. Gauff won her 2nd major at Roland Garros but has experienced major anxiety on the quicker surfaces. If Anisimova continues to improve- which I believe she will- it feels like just a matter of time until Anisimova usurps her to become the new American No.1
