Amazing Amanda! A Grand Slam season to remember
- Michael Ponticello
- 8 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Amanda Anisimova has cemented her place among the world's elite, and she's done it on the biggest stages.
The 24-year-old American has reached the last two Grand Slam finals, falling just short of a maiden major trophy against multiple Slam champions.
But Anisimova's rise is more than a sporting story — it's one of heartbreak, resilience, and redemption.
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At just 17, she burst onto the scene by reaching the 2019 French Open semi-finals, showcasing the talent and poise of a future star.
Many predicted a top-five ranking was only a matter of time.
Then tragedy struck.
Just before that year's US Open, her father and coach, Konstantin, passed away suddenly at age 52.
"It was the worst thing that ever happened to me," Anisimova told The New York Post. "It was very tough."
The years that followed brought more challenges.
As she navigated the grind of the tour and the expectations of an early rise, Anisimova struggled to find consistency.
By 2023, burnout and mental health battles forced her to take an indefinite break from tennis.
That reset was all she needed.
After returning several months later, she has since surged back with newfound clarity and determination.
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Earlier this season, she lifted her first WTA 1000 title in Qatar and has since made back-to-back Slam finals.
Her season has been a rollercoaster of highs and hard lessons.
At Wimbledon, she was overwhelmed by Iga Świątek in a one-sided final, failing to win a single game.
Yet weeks later, she turned the tables and stunned the six-time major champ in the US Open quarter-finals.
She eventually fell to Aryna Sabalenka in the title match, but has taken many positives from her recent form.
"Of course I'm motivated," she said after the US Open final.
"I'll keep working really hard to give myself more opportunities to be in more and more finals."
Now ranked a career-high world No.4, Anisimova has shown the grit and resilience to turn adversity into fuel.
With her talent, mental strength, and still plenty of time ahead, it feels only a matter of when — not if — she finally lifts a Grand Slam trophy.
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