Amanda Anisimova expressed her satisfaction at reaching the second week of the Australian Open after an eight-month hiatus from tennis. Despite acknowledging a part of her expected to perform exceptionally from the start, the 22-year-old American had taken an indefinite break from the sport in May due to mental health concerns and burnout.
Her return in Melbourne began impressively with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Russian 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova.
Anisimova, a former world number 21 and French Open semi-finalist in 2019, continued her successful run with comprehensive wins over Argentine Nadia Podoroska and former world number two Paula Badosa in the subsequent rounds.
Speaking to reporters, she expressed her pride in the achievement and discussed the conflicting advice she received. While many advised her not to set high expectations given her extended break, Anisimova admitted to expecting a lot from herself. Regardless of the outcome, she emphasized her happiness at making it as far as she did and expressed a belief in her potential for further success.
Currently positioned at 442nd in the world rankings, Anisimova anticipates a significant boost in her ranking following her advancement to the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the third time.
Looking ahead, her next challenge is against the formidable defending champion, Aryna Sabalenka, and she acknowledged the need to deliver her best performance to progress further in the tournament.
In summary, Amanda Anisimova’s return to competitive tennis has been marked by notable victories, and she remains optimistic about her potential for further accomplishments despite her initial uncertainties and the challenge posed by her upcoming opponent.