THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 6, 2025

Amanda Anisimova

Press Conference

A. ANISIMOVA/L. Noskova

6-2, 5-7, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Amanda, could you talk us through today's match.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, it was a super tough match. Really had to battle, battle it out there. Yeah, I feel like the level from both of us was really high today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I want to ask about the tough moments where things become really mental. You mentioned that your team works with you about managing your nerves. Can you talk about how they try to instill into you managing of nerves? Do you do any kind of mental training?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I mean, it's nothing too crazy or out of the box really. I mean, they just tell me if I look at them, they'll just be, like, Calm down and breathe. It's what most people say during the match because there's nothing really that you can do.

But yeah, it's just really keeping my emotions at bay, not really showing much negativity, bringing it out of myself or showing it to my opponent. So that's just my goal really, is to just keep calm. Sometimes it's not easy to leave the previous or the past point in the past.

Yeah, I mean, it's something that I'm continuously working on, but I feel like today I did it quite well.

Q. You hit an ace to go 2-3 in the fifth set, and you let out a huge roar. It seemed at that moment you changed the match around. Did it feel the same way to you?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: What was the score?

Q. You were 1-3. She'd broken you.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: In the third set?

Q. Third set.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, because I didn't remember what the score was. Someone told me, You were 1-3 down.

I was like, I was (smiling)?

Yeah, I just kept telling myself to, first, keep believing in myself. Second off, just to bring my level up because I feel like I was playing a bit tentative there and letting her be the more grief one. I knew I had to step it up if I wanted to give myself a chance there in the third.

Q. What sort of technically, tactically do you think you were doing when things weren't going your way late in the second half of the second set? What do you think you were doing better in the third set?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I mean, I don't necessarily think I did anything wrong in the second set. I mean, there are a few times where I could have held serve and then possibly won that second set. But she was also playing some incredible tennis, and she made it very tough for me.

I think that was the main thing, is me not really holding, and her playing very well.

In the third set, I think I really stepped it up with the way that I was serving and just trying to be aggressive and also trying to be more consistent with my returns.

Q. Earlier this week you posted about losing in qualifying last year, not being seeded. How much did that experience spur you on for your future results?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, it's super special. It's a really nice feeling coming back, and just being seeded here before I started the tournament was already really special. I felt really good about myself because I think it was just a huge reminder of all the work and progress I've made so far this year.

Yeah, I was just super excited to compete here. I knew that every match was going to be a battle, which it has been. Yeah, I think that I've just been really enjoying the journey and the last two weeks here.

Q. When you were here three years ago, your last time in a main draw, you also reached the quarterfinals. What has been different for you in that run of 2022 and this year's run?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I mean, I feel like I got asked this actually the other day.

Yeah, I mean, I think a lot of things have changed for myself. My work ethic and I feel like my professionalism has took a whole 360. I prepare myself as best as I can. Everything is centered around my tennis and how I can prepare the best that I can and recover from my matches.

Maybe a few years ago I wasn't doing it quite to that extent. Everything was also pretty new to me. I mean, considering I was still young at that point when I got to the quarters.

But yeah, I think ever since I took my break, I just found this new perspective and this newfound sense of fighting for everything and accepting the challenges that come and embracing them. I think maybe I didn't do it quite like I do it now back then.

Hopefully that answers your question.

Q. In a lot of your press conferences the focus often is on the mental side. You were really strong physically tonight. Could you talk about your physical training, your work with Shadi? Has she helped you? What kind of things do you do? Is that an important part of your performance?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, for sure. I mean, I started with work Shadi this year, earlier this year. She's been a huge addition to my team.

As most people know, I've dealt with injuries. Not anything quite serious, but things that have set me back and have gotten in the way of playing a full calendar and really reaching my full potential.

Yeah, we've just been working on some areas of focus when it comes to just prehab and prevention. I struggled a little bit last year with an injury and then earlier this year before Doha again. Yeah, it was just something I needed to work on and just manage.

So yeah, I feel like her stepping in and taking care of it has really helped me reach not quite my optimal physicality yet, but you know, we're getting there, and that's the goal.

Q. This win means that you'll break into the top 10 for the first time after this tournament. Is there something symbolic or real about that to you that signifies something, shows the kind of progress you've made?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I mean, yeah. I look at it, and I'm like, Oh, wow. It's kind of a shock at first, and I can't really process it.

Then it's like, Oh, yeah, I've played very well so far this year, so it kind of makes sense. I feel like I kind of look at it from both sides.

Yeah, I mean, it's super special and surreal feeling to be in the top 10. If I thought to myself last year, if someone told me that I'll be breaking the top 10 by now, I don't know, it would be pretty surprising to me considering where I was last summer.

Yeah, it's super special. Just goes to show that all the hard work is paying off. So I feel pretty good about myself that I've been working that hard.

Yeah, I'm just super excited. Hopefully I can keep building on it and going for more.

Q. You were asked about the 2022 quarterfinal here. You made a comment about how young you were. Aren't you still young?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I mean, yeah. At some points I'm like, Whoa, I'm turning 24 this year. It's a little bit scary (laughter). I think everyone wants to stay 21 forever. At least I do.

Sometimes I'm reminded that I'm getting older with each year. I don't know, like time has just been flying by. It kind of, like, scares me in a way. I think maybe in a sense I was always used to being, like, the young, young prodigy on tour. Now that's kind of fading away. I'm not that young anymore. There are a lot of newcomers.

Yeah, it's just entering a different stage I guess in my career and not being looked at as the young one. But technically I am still young, and hopefully I have a lot of years left in me. Yeah, I can hopefully still achieve a lot in my career.

Q. Are you aware that you've won 27 matches in a row having won the first set? If not, how have you done that?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I feel like most of the times when I play top players, I lose in three sets. It's typically I win the first set. I feel like most of the time I come out playing very strong. I don't know, maybe it's having to work on my fitness more and being able to last that long in the matches. I think that's just something we've been working on.

To be fair, I haven't really played a full calendar before this year I think. I'm just getting used to playing week in, week out, having my body adjust to playing a lot of tennis.

Yeah, I mean, it's the goal that I can sustain a very high level, especially against the top players. That's something that I'm striving towards.