Dubai: Amanda Anisimova finally hits the court, cruising to a commanding win to reach the quarterfinals
Amanda Anisimova finally stepped on court in Dubai and cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Janice Tjen to advance to the quarterfinals.
The American, seeded No. 2 this week due to the absence of Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, had a bye in the first round, and then Barbora Krejcikova gave her a walkover in the second round.
In her opening match of the week, Anisimova came out strong and sealed the first set with early breaks in the second and sixth games.
After dropping the first set, 46th-ranked Tjen captured her first break and jumped to a 2-0 lead. Yet the Indonesian’s momentum was short-lived as Anisimova surged back, winning six of the next seven games to seal a smooth straight-set win.
This was their first-ever encounter.
Who will Anisimova face in the Dubai quarterfinals?
To reach the Dubai semifinals, Anisimova will meet either defending champion Mirra Andreeva or Jaqueline Cristian.
Before this year, the 24-year-old American had never progressed beyond the second round in Dubai. Now, she’s three victories away from capturing her first title in the United Arab Emirates.
“I feel like I’m actually experiencing a lot less pressure and stress compared to my Australia preparation. I was able to reflect, reset my goals, and focus more on the process. I feel much better now that I’ve let go of a lot of that baggage,” Anisimova explained at her pre-tournament press conference.
“I’ve redirected what I’m paying attention to and where I’m putting my energy. I feel good. I do know what I’m going to attempt and I’ll give my best effort. At the end of the day, that’s all I can do.”
Given Andreeva is the heavy favorite against Cristian, Anisimova is likely to play the Russian in her next Dubai match, should the expected result hold.
