After making the final at each of the last two Grand Slams, Amanda Anisimova fell short at the 2026 Australian Open. The World No. 4 was convincingly beaten by Pegula in the quarterfinals, losing 2-6, 6-7(1).
Anisimova spoke out on the on-court outburst she had during the match’s final momenta during her press conference.
Amanda Anisimova Reflects on Her Australian Open Outburst
During the match, Anisimova could be seen sharing her frustration with her coaching staff and appeared annoyed on a few occasions. Afterwards, she posted a message on her Instagram Stories and apologized for her conduct.
“Still living and learning,” she wrote. “The way I behaved on court today was not the way I want to be carrying myself when playing. After some reflecting, I understand it will [be] difficult to reach my goals that way.”
“My emotions got the best of me and maybe I need to get my pms under control (jk, not really). I’m happy with my few weeks here and I’ll be back stronger next year,” she added.
Anisimova also congratulated Pegula and wished her the best for the remainder of the tournament.
“Congrats to Jess[Pegula], she’s been in great form and good luck the rest of the way. Thanks for all the support as always, I wouldn’t keep going without it,” the World No.4 wrote.
Anisimova will now turn her focus to the Middle East swing, which is due to get underway in February.
What Anisimova Said About Outburst During Her Press Conference
Anisimova was also asked about her outburst during her post-match press conference on Wednesday. The 24-year-old was asked whether losses hurt her more now that she is one of the top-ranked players in the world after a breakout 2025 in tennis.
“I’d say as a tennis player, you can be very irrational. Obviously, I’m very grateful for the life that I have, the career that I have. But you kind of lose your mind after matches like this. I think that after a day like today, I am going to completely lose all sense of rationality for like 48 hours,” Anisimova said.
“That’s just kind of what goes into working so hard for something. You have matches and days like this, and it’s different than any other career I’d say. So yeah, that’s what makes tennis very tough. But we have a great life and I’m grateful for what I do. But it’s definitely very hard to process and go through,” she added.
Following the quarterfinals of the 2026 Australian Open, Pegula, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and Elina Svitolina remain in the hunt to win the first Grand Slam of the year. Sabalenka will face Svitolina in the semifinals, while Rybakina will go up against Pegula. You can take a look at how the matches are expected to unfold on our PFSN simulator.
