She’s an early favorite
At 17, Anisimova has already arrived with startling upset
MELBOURNE, Australia — 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 why there are those who consider her a future star, producing one spectacular shot after another Friday 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 the table for emphasis at her 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,” Anisimova said. “I can’t believe that this is happening right now.”
Believe it, kid. She captured a ton of attention on a day when defending champion Caroline Wozniacki was knocked out by 2008 champion Maria Sharapova 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
At the 2006 U.S. Open, when she was 19, Sharapova became the most recent teen to claim a Slam title. Anisimova grew up cheering for Sharapova — they now share an agent — and would love to match her feat of winning a major before age 20.
“I respect her a lot, because I think she’s young and has a great game. I mean, she’s really proving what she can do,” said Sharapova, who sat at the same table as Anisimova at their agent’s wedding last year. “She has a really bright future.”
Anisimova’s first trip to Australia now progresses to Week 2 and a matchup against two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, who beat Belinda Bencic 6-1, 6-4.
On a rainy afternoon that saw the roofs closed on the three main courts and play delayed on smaller arenas, Sharapova advanced to face No. 15 Ash Barty of Australia, while 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens beat No. 31 Petra Martic 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) and now meets Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
In the men’s draw, Roger Federer, seeking a third consecutive title in Melbourne, dismissed 21-year-old Taylor Fritz 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.
“We all want them to win all the big stuff, but it just takes time,” Federer said about the newest generation of challengers. “I’m still giving them a hard time, sometimes.”
Rafael Nadal beat 19-year-old Australian Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 and now gets 2010 Wimbledon runner-up Tomas Berdych.