Amanda Anisimova may have missed out on the US Open title, but she still left her mark in New York City.
After suffering a devastating 0-6, 0-6 defeat in the Wimbledon final, Anisimova returned to Grand Slam action at the US Open with a point to prove.
Defeating Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka in back-to-back matches, the American qualified for her second major final in a row.
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images
Coming up short in a much closer final, Anisimova lost to Aryna Sabalenka, 3-6, 6-7 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Reflecting on Anisimova’s efforts at Flushing Meadows, one top ATP coach has claimed the 24-year-old was hitting one shot better than anyone else in tennis during the US Open.
Simon Rea says the numbers prove Amanda Anisimova’s backhand is the best in the world
During the latest episode of ‘The Tennis’ podcast, Nick Kyrgios’ former coach, Simon Rea, shared some remarkable statistics about Anisimova’s backhand.
“When you think about ball speed, 123 kmh on the backhand side, her opponents, when you group all seven of them together, when you group them together on the backhand side and average it, they averaged 105 kmh, that’s 20 ks an hour [difference] on the backhand side,” he said.
“She hit the ball at the US Open harder than [Aryna] Sabalenka by 10ks, harder than [Jessica] Pegula by 10ks, harder by Jannik Sinner off the backhand wing by three ks, when I say harder, I mean faster, faster than [Carlos] Alcaraz, faster than [Novak] Djokovic, faster than Iga Swiatek.
“No one in the world of tennis hits a backhand faster than Amanda Anisimova, no one.”
Similarly impressed, Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup captain, Nicole Pratt, had this to say.
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images
“Her backhand is the best in the world. It is off the charts, her numbers… we talk about speed of shot, the highest of men and women, it’s world class,” she said.
“Our players [Kimberly Birrell/Maya Joint] did as good a job as they could, but your game plan, against [Amanda] Anisimova… Do not hit it to her backhand, unless you can hit there with purpose, it’s pretty simple, but it’s very difficult to keep it away.
“It is a cannon, the sound…. Anyone out there, Australian Open 2026, get courtside to Anisimova because the backhand is a thing of beauty.”
Speaking of game plans, Rea couldn’t understand what Iga Swiatek was doing during her quarterfinal clash with Anisimova.
“I did a comparison of Iga Swiatek and Anisimova at Wimbledon, which was the 6-0, 6-0 match, and then the US Open, where she managed to turn it around. Iga won 33% of her second serve points when they played at the US Open, at Wimbledon it was 63%,” he said.
“I went back and had a look at where she was serving, at Wimbledon, directing nearly every second serve at the Anisimova forehand. For some reason, a reason unknown to any of us, straight into the Anisimova backhand at the US Open, and that’s where good players go to die.
“When you serve second serves at the Anisimova backhand, it’s over.
“That was, for me, the number one factor in reversing the fortunes of that matchup.”
There was a chance Anisimova and Swiatek could face off again in the upcoming Korea Open WTA 500 event, although that won’t happen now, following the American’s withdrawal…
When will Amanda Anisimova return to the WTA Tour after Korea Open withdrawal?
Anisimova will join the rest of her WTA Tour rivals at the mandatory WTA 1000 event in Beijing, China, later this month.
Competing as the number-four seed, Anisimova will hope to improve upon her run to the last-16 in 2024.
Top eight seeds at the China Open
- 1. Aryna Sabalenka
- 2. Iga Swiatek
- 3. Coco Gauff
- 4. Amanda Anisimova
- 5. Mirra Andreeva
- 6. Madison Keys
- 7. Jessica Pegula
- 8. Jasmine Paolini
Anisimova has already picked up a WTA 1000 title in 2025, doing so at the Qatar Open in February.
2025 WTA 1000 finals
Only time will tell if Anisimova can win her second WTA 1000 title of the year in Beijing, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action when the tournament begins on Monday September 22.