Amanda Anisimova’s journey to the very top of the WTA Tour has been far from easy, with the American taking a break from tennis in 2023 after suffering burnout.
The star arrived on the scene at an incredibly young age with an extraordinary Roland Garros debut at the age of 15.
Anisimova cracked the WTA Tour top 25 in 2022, but a myriad of injury problems and off-the-court issues led to her slipping down the rankings.
The American took a break from the sport in the aftermath, but Anisimova’s return to tennis has been remarkable.
Amanda Anisimova offers young tennis players advice
In an interview with The Guardian, the American said current young players are dealing with the pressure of the WTA Tour better than she ever did.
“When you do so well at a young age, there’s obviously a lot of pressure and expectations and a lot of new things that you’ve never experienced before.
“And it’s a lot for a young kid who’s not developed fully, like not even close to fully. So it’s definitely a lot. And I would say that the younger girls on tour right now are doing a great job of balancing and managing that.”
She believes the younger stars are more equipped than she was to deal with the scrutiny, and she believes that’s down to who they surround themselves with.
“I think the one thing that I would say that’s important is the people you surround yourself with and the guidance and the advice.
“I think it’s really important to let girls know, or boys, to make the right decisions for yourself and listen to yourself and not try and say yes to everything and feel like you have to do certain things.
“I think that’s a big killer in certain ways, is just feeling like you have to do certain things, and that can really lead to burnout. So that’s definitely something that I would have done differently.”
Anisimova is currently playing at her very first WTA Finals after qualifying as the fourth seed in Saudi Arabia.
The American lost her opening game to Elena Rybakina, but she still has an opportunity to qualify from her group. She has matches against Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek to come.
Amanda Anisimova’s remarkable form since returning to tennis in 2024
Anisimova returned to the sport ranked at World No. 373 in early 2024, but some superb performances have seen her crack the top five for the first time.
She had only one WTA 250 title to her name before her break from tennis, but she’s already captured some excellent accolades upon her return.
The American won her first Masters title in Doha at the beginning of the year and she used that landmark win as a launching pad to truly challenge the very top of the game.
Amanda Anisimova’s achievements since returning to tennis
| Date | Tournament | Result |
| Aug 2024 | Canadian Open | Final |
| Feb 2025 | Qatar Open | Winner |
| Jun 2025 | Queen’s | Final |
| Jul 2025 | Wimbledon | Final |
| Sep 2025 | US Open | Final |
| Oct 2025 | China Open | Winner |
Anisimova is yet to win a Grand Slam, but she’s come mightily close in 2025. Back-to-back finals at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2025 prove it’s only a matter of time before she captures a major trophy.
The star ended her year by winning the China Open and there’s every chance she can upset the applecart again at the WTA Finals.
