Amanda Anisimova showed no mercy last night, as she comprehensively defeated Emma Raducanu to end her Indian Wells run.
The 6-1, 6-1 scoreline was indicative of a player in superb form facing another still out of sorts, and there is plenty for the 23-year-old Brit to reflect on as she prepares for a return to Miami.
As for Amanda Anisimova, such a statement win will have surely reignited her title ambitions, and her upcoming match against Victoria Mboko will be hotly anticipated.
She spoke on-court after her drubbing of Emma Raducanu and reflected on a fine performance.
Amanda Anisimova reacts after thrashing Emma Raducanu at Indian Wells
The world number six began by expressing her delight with her level.
Anisimova admitted: “Yeah, I think I would be very pleased with my performance today. Thanks for all the love, guys.
“I had a tough first round here, and I was just trying to go out there and have fun and pretend I’ve never played this tournament before and just go out there and be fearless.
Where do you think Emma Raducanu will finish 2026 ranked?
“I feel like that’s how I finished my last match, and that’s the mindset I was going in today, and yeah, I just really wanted to enjoy it. I haven’t played too many matches out at Indian Wells, so I’m trying to keep the run going, so thank you for all the support.
She then outlined the difficulty, but possibility, of balancing extreme focus with an enjoyment of the sport: “Yeah, I’ve really tried to have a good balance with that. I feel like if I’m not happy off the court and enjoying what I’m doing, then it’s gonna be really hard to make this career sustainable for myself.
“So, since my comeback, that’s been my biggest goal: to just have fun on and off the court, try not to take it too seriously, even though I can be quite serious when I’m on the court, but that’s still a work in progress. You guys definitely make it easier for me.
“I try to have fun and relax on the court, so that’s a goal.”
Anisimova concluded by thanking all the special women in her life, in celebration of International Women’s Day.
Raducanu did not seem confident ahead of her match against Anisimova, and that was evident in her performance.
Amanda Anisimova has left Emma Raducanu in the dust
It feels ironic that, around this time last year, Raducanu was coming off the back of a second straight-sets win over Anisimova in as many months, having knocked her out of the Australian Open and later the Miami Open.
The British number one seemed to be on the ascendancy once again, whilst the American’s future was uncertain.
How the tables have turned.
Will Amanda Anisimova win a Grand Slam title in 2026?
Whilst Raducanu continues to try and find the consistency needed to challenge for titles and push up the rankings, Anisimova has left her in the dust.
She went on to reach two Grand Slam finals last year, whilst also winning two WTA 1000 events as well. It would be unwise to bet against her claiming the title here in Indian Wells too.
Raducanu will be hoping that she can engineer a similar career surge in 2026 to catch back up with a player she once sat beside in the world rankings.
