SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER!
 
 
Facebook Social Button Twitter Social Button Follow Us on InstagramYouTube Social Button
NewsScoresRankingsLucky Letcord PodcastShopPro GearPickleballGear Sale

Popular This Week

Net Notes - A Tennis Now Blog

Net Posts

Industry Insider - A Tennis Now Blog

Industry Insider

Second Serve - A Tennis Now Blog

Second Serve

 

Anisimova Stops Sabalenka Again


Amanda Anisimova entered this season as a blank slate on clay courts.

The 17-year-old American continues to carve clay milestones.

Watch: Stan Rescues Kid From Crowd Crush

Anisimova broke serve seven times sweeping 11th-seeded Aryna Sabalanka for the second straight Slam, 6-4, 6-2, to roll into the Roland Garros third round for the first time.

"I never passed a round at the French Open, so obviously it's super special. It feels great," Anisimova said. "I'm really happy with my performance today. You know, I was getting ready to play Aryna because I knew it was going to be a tough battle today, which it was. I'm just really happy that I got through this round."

The Freehold, N.J. native has the Belarusian's number this season. Anisimova stunned Sabalenka, 6-3, 6-2, to reach her first Grand Slam round of 16 at the Australian Open.

The world No. 51 scored her third Top 10 win, following a 2018 triumph over then world No. 9 Petra Kvitova at Indian Wells.

Anisimova entered this season winless in career-clay matches with her lone foray on dirt coming in a 2017 Roland Garros loss to Kurumi Nara.

The aggressive baseliner has cleaned up on clay this year capturing her first career title in Bogota last month and improving to 8-2 on the slow stuff today. Her fast adjustment to the slippery surface has surprised Anisimova, who is the youngest woman to reach the Roland Garros third round since Serena Williams.

"I mean, I have grown up playing on clay, so I really like it," Anisimova said. "But it was kind of a surprise when I won that title because it was my first title, and to win it on clay after not playing for about two years on clay was kind of surprising to me, but it was definitely a huge confidence booster."

The average age of tournament champions in 2019 is 23.8, the youngest since the 2008 season.

The Bogotá champion has a solid shot for her second straight Slam fourth-round appearance. Anisimova faces No.73 Karolina Muchova or No.116 Irina-Camelia Begu next.

Photo credit: Copa WTA Bogotá

Posted: