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Amanda Anisimova’s run to the WTA Finals this year marks a crowning achievement in a remarkable career resurgence, a journey defined by her conscious decision to prioritize mental well-being over relentless competition. Her current success is built upon a hard-won philosophy developed after she stepped away from the sport in 2023, a period when the pressures of professional tennis had become unbearable. She has since articulated a nuanced mentality on handling pressure, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and a strong support system, particularly for young players thrust into the spotlight. Reflecting on her own early success, which included a semi-final run at the French Open at just 17, Anisimova acknowledges the immense weight of expectations placed on young athletes. “When you do so well at a young age, there’s obviously a lot of pressure and expectations. And a lot of new things that you’ve never experienced before,” she said, as reported by The Guardian. “And it’s a lot for a young kid who’s not developed fully, like not even close to fully. So it’s definitely a lot.” This pressure, which she tried to push through for a long time, eventually contributed to significant burnout and depression, making her life on tour unsustainable. Furthermore, she acknowledged the younger players managing their lives with the pressure, stating, “And I would say that the younger girls on tour right now are doing a great job of balancing and managing that. I think the one thing that I would say that’s important is the people you surround yourself with and the guidance and the advice.” ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad A cornerstone of Anisimova’s evolved mentality is also something she listed, stating, “I think it’s really important to let girls know, or boys, to make the right decisions for yourself and listen to yourself and not try and say yes to everything and feel like you have to do certain things. I think that’s a big killer in certain ways, is just feeling like you have to do certain things and that can really lead to burnout. So that’s definitely something that I would have done differently.” For years, she adhered to the common tennis ethos of constantly pushing forward, but found this approach was no longer viable for her mental health. She realized that it was not selfish, but necessary, to prioritize her well-being, leading to her decision to take a complete break in 2023. During this time away, she did not touch a racket for months, instead focusing on living a normal life. This journey proved that stepping away is not a career death sentence but can be a path back to the top, a lesson she is proud to embody. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Now, with all the knowledge and experience she’s gathered, she shares it with the younger players to help them navigate the pressure that comes with the sport. But if we focus on the positive side, before the WTA Finals, Anisimova was really excited after seeing a specific statistic. Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports Amanda Anisimova is just another proud American Out of the eight players set to compete in the WTA Finals singles tournament, four are from the United States. For the first time in more than ten years, American women are really making their mark at the year-end finals. The last time four players made it through was back in 2002 when it was called the WTA Tour Championships. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad The finalists that year were Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati, and Monica Seles. This year, out of the four, only Anisimova is making her debut on the big stage, while Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, and defending champ Coco Gauff are all seasoned pros at this event. Anisimova couldn’t contain her excitement when she reacted, saying, “That’s crazy that half of us are Americans. I mean, we’ve done really well this year. I’m just really proud of myself and the other girls. Yeah, hopefully we can keep going. Definitely makes us represent our country well. I think we’re doing a great job.” So, for Anisimova, she’s really been on the hunt for her big break ever since Iga Swiatek handed her that defeat at Wimbledon. She really proved her strength by knocking Swiatek out of the US Open and making it to the final just a few weeks later. Anisimova has been so close to greatness this season. We’ll just have to wait and see if the American can snag the glory in Riyadh.
