Tennis star Amanda Anisimova momentarily shifted her focus from the WTA tour to the ice rink as the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, delivered a piece of American sporting history. The World No. 6 took to her Instagram stories on Feb. 20, sharing a post by Vogue Magazine that captured a landmark moment in the career of American figure skater Alysa Liu.
Amanda Anisimova Celebrates Alysa Liu’s Olympic Gold Medal
Liu made history at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Feb. 19, winning the gold medal in the women’s figure skating event, which marked the first time an American woman had achieved this in 24 years. The 20-year-old from California delivered a stunning free skate performance to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park Suite,” climbing from third place to take the top spot on the podium with a combined total of 226.79 points.
Anisimova quickly celebrated this accomplishment, sharing Vogue Magazine’s Instagram post covering Liu’s win on her Instagram story. The tennis star captioned her story with “SHE DID THAT,” alongside a teary-faced emoji and a crying emoji that perfectly captured her emotions.
Vogue had noted that Liu became the first American woman to win the event in 24 years, achieving the historic feat while donning “one of the season’s hottest hair trends.”
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This was not the first time Anisimova had voiced her admiration for Liu publicly. Earlier in February, when Team USA’s trio of figure skaters, Liu, Amber Glenn, and Isabeau Levito, entered the Games, she expressed her support through her Instagram stories.
The Blade Angels, the name of this trio, had been praised by the Mental Health Coalition for consistently spreading mental health awareness on and off the ice. Anisimova responded with enthusiasm, writing “Let’s go, girls,” while also noting that she loved “all of this so much.”
Her support carries genuine personal significance, as in May 2023, Anisimova stepped away from professional tennis due to burnout and mental health concerns, later crediting her hobby of painting as a key part of her recovery.
She returned to competition in 2024 and won WTA titles in Doha and Beijing in 2025, while also reaching the finals of both Wimbledon and the US Open, establishing herself as one of the most dominant players on tour.
Liu’s Dominant Performance and Anisimova’s Next Test in Dubai
Competing at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, Liu entered the free skate in third place, behind Japanese skaters Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto, following the short program. She responded with arguably the best performance of the women’s competition, posting a season-best score of 150.20 in the free skate for a combined total of 226.79, a personal best that took her straight to the top of the podium.
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Dressed in a gold costume and skating to Donna Summer, Liu executed seven triple jumps, including three combination jumps, drawing a standing ovation from the packed arena. Japan’s Sakamoto claimed silver with a total score of 224.90, while Nakai – who was leading the standings after the short program – made several errors in the latter stages, slipping to bronze with 219.16 points.
On the tennis side of things, Anisimova is currently competing in the WTA 1000 event in Dubai, where she is set to face Jessica Pegula in the semifinals today, Feb. 20. This marks the rematch of their 2026 Australian Open clash, where Pegula beat Anisimova in straight sets to reach the semifinals.
