Amanda Anisimova showcased her powerful serving abilities on Thursday, channeling the spirit of Serena Williams as she fired off 20 aces to secure a hard-fought victory over Sofia Kenin, advancing to the third round of Wimbledon.
Each win for Anisimova helps to diminish the harsh memories of her previous year’s final defeat, where she suffered a crushing 6-0, 6-0 loss to Iga Swiatek. Early in the third set, however, it appeared she might falter as she fell behind 3-1 against the former Australian Open champion. Yet, when it mattered the most, her serve proved effective, with nine of those 20 aces coming in the pivotal set, pulling her back into contention.
“I’m just happy to be through to the next round,” she said. “I never thought I’d say this but thank you to my serve. I’m not a good server at all but after today, I can say that I am. I was down and told myself to keep fighting. I really tried to bring myself back to the present moment. I try to remind myself – have fun, you’re playing at Wimbledon. These are the matches I train for, the tough ones, the fun ones.”
Next up for Anisimova is a clash against Madison Keys, another formidable American player and a former Australian Open champion, who secured her first Grand Slam title in Melbourne last year.
Following a surprising victory can be one of the most challenging feats in tennis, as players often find it difficult to replicate the adrenaline-fueled energy of their previous match. Daria Snigur managed to handle this pressure effectively by backing up her win against fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina with a solid performance against France’s Leolia Jeanjean, winning 6-4, 6-3. Conversely, Maya Joint struggled to maintain her momentum after defeating Serena Williams, losing 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 to Alexandra Eala, the No. 29 seed.
Snigur’s victory was particularly remarkable given that she awoke to reports of ongoing bombings in her hometown of Kyiv, Ukraine.
“This victory, I think, is special for me and for my country. Russia destroyed a lot of houses, people, deaths. It was tough, but I tried to find something inside of me. I should play because I should help my country, my home town. I’m happy to win today.” she said. “It’s tough to speak about but … I want to give positive emotions for my family. I tried to find something inside of me to practise, to play. I tried to find more motivation [from it] because we had a difficult night. I want to win more, of course.”
“I think it’s going to be tough for me [but] I’m going to try to make it tough for her, as well,”
“She’s won a slam on grass. She’s won a slam on clay. She’s won a slam on hard, so I’m expecting a great challenge. I think I’m ready for it. I’m ready to face it head on.” she said. “She’s won a slam on grass. She’s won a slam on clay. She’s won a slam on hard, so I’m expecting a great challenge. I think I’m ready for it. I’m ready to face it head on.”
