The 24-year-old endured humiliation at Wimbledon but has pulled off a rapid and remarkable comeback
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manda Anisimova was struggling to maintain her composure in the days leading up to the final grand slam tournament of the year. As the American braced herself for her first round match, her high expectations became a source of significant stress. In hindsight, this was nothing out of the ordinary. “I think most players are putting a lot of pressure on themselves and those few days before the tournament are pretty stressful, just the anticipation of it,” she said after reaching round three. “I feel it was natural for me to feel that way.”
However, the circumstances surrounding Anisimova on the eve of the US Open made her situation unique. The last time she appeared at a grand slam, Anisimova was beaten 6-0, 6-0 in the Wimbledon final by Iga Swiatek. Wimbledon had represented a long-awaited breakthrough after years of unfulfilled promise and under most circumstances it would have only signified a positive step forward in her career, but by the end of her excruciating day on Centre Court it was hard not to wonder if such a humiliating moment might completely derail her progress.
For that reason, Anisimova’s handling of those challenges has been nothing short of remarkable. At the next grand slam tournament, her earliest possible opportunity, the 24-year-old has given herself another shot at competing for a grand slam title again as she faces Aryna Sabalenka, the world No 1 and defending champion, on home soil in the US Open final on Saturday.
