Teen impresses on her way to last 16
Anisimova youngest US player to make fourth round since 1993
All of 17, never the winner of a grand slam match until this week, Amanda Anisimova is making quite a first impression at the Australian Open.
Anisimova showed precisely why there are those who consider her a possible future star, producing one spectacular shot after another yesterday to upset 11th-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-3, 6-2 and reach the fourth round.
“I want to win this tournament,” Anisimova said, tapping her right index finger on a table for emphasis at her post-match news conference. “Right now.”
She is the youngest American to get this far at Melbourne Park since Jennifer Capriati in 1993 — and at any grand slam tournament since Serena Williams at the 1998 French Open. Pretty heady company.
“This is an unreal feeling,” said Anisimova in an on-court interview. “I can’t believe that this is happening right now.”
Believe it, kid. She captured plenty of attention on day five, when defending champion Caroline Wozniacki was knocked out by 2008 champion Maria Sharapova 6-4, 4-6,
6-3.
At the 2006 US Open, when she was 19, Sharapova became the most recent teen to claim a slam title. Anisimova grew up cheering for Sharapova and would love to match her feat of winning a major before age
20. Who would doubt her?
It’s not just that Anisimova, who was born in New Jersey and is based in Florida, has knocked off two seeded players already, including the hardhitting Sabalenka, who was many a pundit’s pick for a deep run at Melbourne Park.
Or that she’s dropped a measly total of 17 games through three matches.
It’s the way the 87th-ranked Anisimova — there is no one younger in the WTA’s top 100 — is doing it, with clean and dangerous shotmaking and impeccable court coverage.
“I’m really feeling good out here,” said Anisimova, who is coached by her father, as well as the same person who’s worked with her since she was
9. “I’m playing some really good tennis.”
That’s an understatement. She delivered more winners than Sabalenka,
21-12, as well as fewer unforced errors,
13-9.
Anisimova won all eight of her service games, saving the lone break point she faced. She broke the hardserving Sabalenka four times.
Anisimova’s first trip to Australia, and third appearance in the main draw at a major, now progresses to week two and a match-up against twotime Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
On a rainy afternoon that saw the roofs closed atop the three main courts, and play delayed on smaller arenas, Sharapova advanced to face No 15 Ash Barty of Australia, while 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens beat No 31 Petra Martic 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) and now meets Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia.
In the men’s draw, Roger Federer dispatched one youngster and set his sights on facing another.
The 37-year-old Federer, seeking a third consecutive title in Melbourne, dismissed 21-year-old Taylor Fritz of the US 6-2, 7-5, 6-2. Federer now takes on 20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, who eliminated Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4.
Also advancing was 2010 Wimbledon runner-up Tomas Berdych, a 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 winner over No 18 Diego Schwartzman. Berdych’s next opponent will be 17-time major champion Rafael Nadal, who was untroubled in seeing off 19-year-old Australian Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.