Concerning signs emerged as American tennis star Amanda Anisimova showed fans her heavily bandaged hand, the result of severe blistering. The development raises questions about her readiness ahead of the fast-approaching 2026 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where she is scheduled to compete.
Hand Injury Raises Doubts Over Amanda Anisimova’s Readiness for Indian Wells
The 2026 season has not showcased Amanda Anisimova at her best, despite her reaching two Grand Slam finals last year. She opened her campaign with a second-round exit at the Brisbane International before advancing to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, where she was defeated by Jessica Pegula.
The American then entered the Qatar Open as the third seed, receiving a first-round bye into the second round. Her campaign ended in a three-set loss to KarolÃna PlÃÅ¡ková. She next competed at the Dubai Duty Free Championships, where she advanced to the semifinals. Despite taking the opening set, she once again fell to compatriot Pegula in three sets.
The world No. 6 will next compete at the 2026 BNP Paribas Open, scheduled from March 4 to 15 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The WTA 1000 event, staged on outdoor hard courts, is expected to feature a strong field that includes Aryna Sabalenka, Iga ÅšwiÄ…tek, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, and defending champion Mirra Andreeva.
Anisimova had been aiming to shift momentum in Indian Wells, but an untimely setback has complicated her preparations. The American recently shared a photo on Instagram of her hand wrapped in bandages due to blisters, writing, “Could be worse.”
Although she initially revealed the concerning side of the issue, Anisimova later returned to practice as she prepared for the Sunshine Double. A lighthearted moment followed when the same bandage ended up stuck to the back of her coach Hendrik Vleeshouwers’s shorts.
At Anisimova’s request, he turned around, only to discover the bandage before promptly discarding it. “Dying,” Anisimova captioned the post.
The 24-year-old later shared another clip showing that the bandage had already come off:
The upcoming edition of the BNP Paribas Open presents a significant opportunity for Anisimova to build momentum for the remainder of the season. Last year, however, she endured an underwhelming run, falling to Belinda Bencic 4-6, 7-6(3), 1-6 in the second round.
