THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 30, 2026

Amanda Anisimova

Press Conference

A. ANISIMOVA/L. Gjorcheska

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Nice win this afternoon. Could you sum up the match for us today?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I was really happy with my first round. Felt like I did all the things that I wanted to do. Not easy to play a qualifier, as well. I feel like they have had a few matches that they had under their belt. So yeah, I felt like she was playing really good tennis today. Just happy to be through to the next one.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You have been to tournaments the year after a big result in the past, but given making the first slam final last year, being here on the grounds, preparing for the comeback, has it felt different or special in any way?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: No, not really, because all the preparations are the same. And then again, every tournament is a new tournament. So it always feels a bit different.

If anything, yes, there is confidence that I know I can play well on the grass, so I think that's the biggest takeaway. But I try to treat every single tournament like it's a new week and it's a new tournament.

Q. How were the nerves at the beginning of last year's final, coming to play here again and starting over? And secondly, how different is it playing on the outside court again, Court 2, compared to Centre Court that you're used to now?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: The first question?

Q. How were the nerves starting again after the final?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Well, I mean, it was a year ago, so it's not like I started playing this match thinking about the final or anything last year. As I said, it's a new tournament. I was just ready for my first round, preparing a lot for it.

Yeah, I stepped out and I was really excited to play, feeling really good. So I just wanted to see, you know, where my level is at and challenge myself out there, try to play my game and do all the things that I have been doing in practice.

So I feel like I did most of the things that I wanted to do. It was a bit of a slow match. But yeah, I was happy with it.

Yeah, I mean, Court 2 isn't such a small court. I mean, still, it's a big stadium. Yeah, hopefully I will be playing on Centre Court again this week, because I feel like I thrive and play my best tennis on the bigger courts.

Q. I remember such a big part of your run last year was how involved your family was. We could see them. There were so many of them here. It was really awesome. How do you guys reflect on that, what I'm sure was also a very cool trip for them and kind of a family moment a year later?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, they absolutely loved it. I had a huge support system, as you said, which was really nice. And to be able to celebrate all the wins with them and also celebrate after the tournament was very memorable and very special for all of us.

Still waiting till my nephew gets a bit older to be able to understand when he looks back at the video. I will give it a few more years.

My sister said she bought a flight ticket a few months ago just in case for the later rounds, so hopefully I'll make it till then and she'll be able to come again.

Yeah, since I have my in-laws here, it's a really big family and they love spending time with each other. And then also getting to watch me at Wimbledon is a cool experience for them.

Yeah, this one's definitely a special Grand Slam for me. I feel like it's kind of my second home tournament in a way because I have my family, and I already have a few friends out here watching me play, which is really nice.

I get to go and hang out with them later today. That always helps, especially at the Grand Slams, when I have that support system around me.

Q. Back playing tennis again after pulling out of Berlin. How is your body feeling?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I feel good. I feel very refreshed. Feeling like I'm in a much better place now. I think the last two months really took a lot out of me, and just the start of the year, it wasn't the best way to start things out.

But at the same time, it's part of the sport, and I feel like I did my best and tried to be as ready as possible for every single tournament that I have played.

When I feel like I'm not ready, then I prefer not to compete. So yeah, I'm really happy that I took those few days off that I needed, and I feel much more like myself again, because I was starting to feel like I was getting a bit away from that.

So, yeah, I just needed a bit of a reset. Yeah, I'm really refreshed and excited to be competing here.

Q. I wanted to ask you, you went back home after Queen's and you said it was good you went back to the States and then came back. Why was it good for you, if you can just expand on that, and what are the things you did when you went back home?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I think just taking myself out of this environment for a little bit. It's a lot of stress. It's kind of the same routines every single day.

I think the fact that I was injured and I had a lot of different changes that I was getting used to, and not being able to compete, it was new for me, especially because I wasn't even home.

So it was definitely a bit of a strange experience, having to train and train and not knowing if I'm ready to play the tournaments. I was also working hard and doing my best, and I think I just got a bit tired at the end of that.

And then, yeah, it's always nice to see my family and my friends. It's just a few days. To be at home where things feel familiar, I think that really helped me.

Yeah, again, like I kind of felt a bit guilty maybe doing that, but at the same time, I'm human, and it was best for me. I'm really happy I did it, because I feel like I'm really hungry and very eager to play now.

That's the way I like to be.

Q. We saw Novak sitting in your seat about midnight last night. How different is it to start playing at 11:00 in the morning, especially not being a morning person, compared to playing later in the evening?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, they're very, very different. I feel like the preparations are obviously different. I try to go to bed early. It's not easy, because you have to wake up so early.

And then also being first on, it's a bit of a rush, because you're only able to practice at 9:30, I think. Only gives you, like, an hour to get ready for the match. I'm someone who likes to really take my time. I felt like I was rushing a bit today.

But then again, at the same time you get to finish early and have the rest of the day, which is really nice. I think both of them have their pros and cons.

But yeah, finishing late, especially in the beginning of the tournament, I feel like is not the easiest to recover from, especially if you have to do it consecutively every day.

But at the same time, it's part of it. We don't control the schedule, and I'm sure he is very used to it, and he'll be recovered and fine for the next one (smiling).

Q. You spoke in your last press conference about - you used a really great word - but you feel like your body has more capacity and you noticed that this year, training, staying out on court longer. I feel like I can relate to that even when I go on a run, I can handle going a little farther, or whatever. Can you explain what that mentally does for you? Also, just having that realization of my body is more capable than it was this time six months ago or last year, just how the mental and the physical intertwine for you, I guess.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I think it's honestly mostly mental. I think I got to this place because of the way I was pushing myself and telling myself, like, You still have an extra 10% in it, keep going for whatever, if I'm training or if I'm in a match, you have more in the tank.

I think it really has to do with the mind and pushing yourself, and then, when you keep pushing yourself and then you get really far, you're like, oh, wow, I did have more than I thought.

I don't think it's really, like, physically. I think I was really strong and I was fit last year, but I think being able to do it over and over again and having lots of experience with pushing myself past what I thought was a limit, I think doing that time and time again kind of trained my body to trust myself, and yeah, to have more of that capacity.

But I feel like every single month or every single week on the tour, I feel like I'm improving, and I'm learning more about myself.