American star Amanda Anisimova recently opened up about what fueled her stunning quarterfinal victory over Iga Świątek at the US Open, nearly two months after she had fallen to the Pole in the Wimbledon final. Świątek entered her US Open clash against Anisimova fresh off her sixth Grand Slam title win in London, and also a WTA 1000 win in Cincinnati, making her the potential favorite.
Amanda Anisimova Recalls What ‘Fueled’ Her for Her US Open ‘Revenge’ Over Iga Świątek
The odds favored Świątek also because she had dominated Anisimova in the Wimbledon final in July, delivering a rare double bagel by winning in straight sets without dropping a single game. Remarkably, it was the first double bagel in a women’s Grand Slam final since Steffi Graf achieved the feat at the 1988 French Open.
However, Anisimova’s determination and mental toughness were poised to redefine their rivalry at the US Open quarterfinals in front of her home crowd. Despite the heavy loss a few months earlier, she stayed composed and took control from the first point, defeating Świątek 6-4, 6-3 in just an hour and 36 minutes.
Recently, the World No. 4 spoke with Sports Illustrated, discussing a range of topics, one of which was, “The U.S. Open match, the revenge match. Let’s discuss.”
Anisimova explained that she approached the match as a fresh start, treating it as a new tournament and experience, putting her gruesome Wimbledon defeat behind her and focusing with a positive mindset.
“Yeah, that is another one I’m really proud of. I think prior to that match, I told myself that it’s a new day and it’s a new match, new tournament, new everything, and to treat it as such, despite what had happened, like a month ago, and how difficult that was. So I just told myself, this is just a completely new experience,” she said.
Anisimova said she stayed focused despite seeing her Wimbledon final replay peripherally while warming up, which motivated her further.
“And kept, like, telling myself to focus on that. And then I had gotten to the gym to warm up for my match, and they were just like, playing the replay [of the Wimbledon final], but I didn’t look. I could see my peripheral, like, ESPN … I think that actually fueled me a little bit. I was like, O.K., we got this,” she added.
Anisimova’s story showcases her resilience, which she has continued to demonstrate in the future. She reaffirmed her supremacy over Świątek in their latest clash at the WTA Finals group stage in Riyadh, overcoming a first-set tiebreak loss to storm back for a 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-2 triumph. The American finished the season as the World No. 4, with two tour-level titles and a 47-18 win-loss record.
