2026, Is it the year of Amanda Anisimova?

Carlos Navarro | 11 Dec 2025 | 13.16

Amanda Anisimova has everything to dominate 2026. Source: Getty

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Amanda Anisimova has been one of the undisputed protagonists of the year 2025. Until the beginning of this season, there was a lingering feeling of "unfulfilled promise" in the air, of generational talent unable to reach the heights that were expected of her tennis: the extended hiatus she experienced months ago, stemming from a significant mental health crisis, reinforced the feeling of many that Amanda would never fully showcase her talent.

But in the year 2025, a new figure has emerged as a fully established presence in the elite WTA, an Amanda Anisimova who rules from the baseline with a spectacular array of shots, who dominates and subdues her opponents, surprising them with masterpieces like her backhand down the line... and who bounces back from major setbacks with the conviction and resilience of a seasoned player. The best part? It seems that her tenure on the circuit is long, but she is only 24 years old, painting a horizon of more than a decade of contention for major titles.

The American's dizzying rise only lacked, perhaps, a Grand Slam. She came very close, reaching two finals and falling to the latest leaders (Swiatek at Wimbledon, Sabalenka at the US Open), further reinforcing the sense that the Major title is within reach. Could 2026 be the season of her definitive breakthrough? Has she overcome all the necessary mental barriers to even challenge for the throne of the women's circuit? Betting against it, at least, does not seem advisable.

Anisimova is very satisfied with her season and places special value on her 'vendetta' against Swiatek after her tough loss in the Wimbledon final

Heading into the next season after demonstrating an unprecedented mental strength is the key point Anisimova highlights in her ledger. That mental fortitude showed in her victory over Iga Swiatek in New York. Coming off a double bagel loss in a Grand Slam final, which garnered all sorts of attention and press in its aftermath, the ghosts, instead of reappearing, swiftly dissipated. It was the confirmation that the new Amanda Anisimova has arrived on the circuit, and she herself, in a conversation with Sports Illustrated, appreciates the story behind that match.

"It's a victory I'm very proud of. I told myself before the match that it was a new day, a new match, a new... everything. A different experience. I kept telling myself that, and then I arrived at the gym to warm up before the match, and on TV, they were showing the Wimbledon final. I didn't pay attention to the TV. I just saw out of the corner of my eye that it said ESPN, that it was Wimbledon... and that I think gave me fuel. It motivated me. I told myself: 'I've got this'. That match tells a story: the story that you can come back from such an experience, which was all over the headlines. That it's okay, that it can happen, and after that, you have the choice to rewrite the script. I'm very happy with how I handled the situation."

It was a highly successful season for Anisimova, who, when pinpointing an aspect she's most proud of, is very clear: consistency. "I started the year well, winning Doha in February, my first WTA 1000; then I did well mid-year, winning another WTA 1000, and also at the end of the season. In the past, I struggled a lot to follow up my good results weeks later, I suffered when I had to compete week after week, and that's where I believe I've grown the most as a player."

The conclusion of the conversation is telling: Amanda, admitting that she has been competing since she was 16 and is in a peculiar phase of her career (neither excessively veteran nor as young as she might show on her ID), faces her relationship with time without fear. With conviction: she is in a professional and personal moment where the future is tinted with hope. "I don't dwell too much on the future. I have my goals, but life is unpredictable. Right now, I'm enjoying it, looking forward to 2026, and I feel like my career restarted not long ago, with many things yet to come." Will 2026 be Amanda Anisimova's year? There's a whirlwind eager to answer affirmatively to this question... and Australia will witness the first responses.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, 2026, ¿el año de Amanda Anisimova?