Amanda Anisimova has competed against some of the best players in tennis history.
The American star, who recently partnered with iced tea brand ‘Pure Leaf,’ made her WTA Tour main-draw debut at the 2017 Miami Open, losing to Taylor Townsend in the first round.
Since then, Anisimova has played the likes of Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Victoria Azarenka, and Iga Swiatek.
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Speaking exclusively to Tennishead, the 24-year-old named another rival as her hardest opponent to play on the WTA circuit.
Amanda Anisimova names Aryna Sabalenka as her toughest-ever opponent
“The field is very strong right now,” the two-time Grand Slam finalist said. “So I feel like there are so many incredibly tough players that are very challenging to play against.
“I would probably have to go with Aryna [Sabalenka] because we’ve had so many close battles, and I’ve played her so many times.
“I feel like each time it was a big challenge for both of us, and we’ve competed in very high-pressure situations because a lot of the time it was at a Grand Slam.
“So I would have to go with her, and rightfully so, she’s been the number one for the last few years.”
Anisimova and Sabalenka have competed against each other 11 times on the WTA Tour.
Anisimova leads their head-to-head matchup 6-5. However, she has lost her last two matches against the world number one [2025 US Open final and 2025 WTA Finals].
| Tournament | Winner | Score |
| 2019 Australian Open | Anisimova | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2019 Roland Garros | Anisimova | 6-4, 6-2 |
| 2022 Charleston Open | Anisimova | 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 2022 Madrid Open | Anisimova | 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 |
| 2022 Italian Open | Sabalenka | 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2024 Australian Open | Sabalenka | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2024 Canadian Open | Anisimova | 6-4, 6-2 |
| 2025 Roland Garros | Sabalenka | 7-5, 6-3 |
| 2025 Wimbledon | Anisimova | 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 |
| 2025 US Open | Sabalenka | 6-3, 7-6 |
| 2025 WTA Finals | Sabalenka | 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 |
Anisimova and Sabalenka are both currently preparing to compete in the US Open.
The tournament, last won by Sabalenka, will begin on August 30.
Amanda Anisimova ‘so excited’ about renewed partnership with Hendrik Vleeshouwers
In March, Anisimova parted ways with long-time coach Hendrik Vleeshouwers; whom the American had worked under for two years.
“Thank you Rick, thank you for everything you’ve done for me, Anisimova said on Instagram. “For seeing and treating me as a human first, before an athlete.
“That meant the world to me, and made for a great partnership.”
Anisimova reunited with Vleeshouwers at the Canadian Open earlier this month.
Since then, Anisimova’s results have improved, with the American recently reaching the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals.
“I’m so excited to be back with him,” Anisimova told Tennishead. “We had such a great partnership when I first started working with him, and I had such a great year.
“We took a little bit of a break, and now that we’re back together, I feel like I’m a lot more myself again.
Amanda Anisimova’s results since reuniting with Hendrik Vleeshouwers
- Canadian Open: reached the fourth round before losing to Elina Svitolina
- Cincinnati Open: reached the quarter-finals before losing to eventual finalist Jessica Pegula
“It was a really rough year for me with dealing with an injury and just a difficult summer in terms of results.
“Now that I’m starting to work with him again, I’m really excited and motivated, and I feel like I’m finding my tennis again and my rhythm.
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“I’m really looking forward to finishing this year off strong, and he’s someone that really understands me well – not only as an athlete, but also as a person, and I feel like that’s what makes us such a good team.
“We really care for each other, and we’re very motivated people, so it’s a perfect collaboration.”
Amanda Anisimova’s US Open hopes
While in discussion with Tennishead, Anisimova discussed what she would consider to be a successful US Open campaign this year.
Anisimova reached the final of last year’s event, before losing to Aryna Sabalenka.
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“It’s such a tough question for an athlete. And I think that’s why we are athletes, because we’re such perfectionists,” the 24-year-old remarked.
“Because if I don’t win the tournament, then I’m just left feeling sad and very motivated to come back and do better. Because for us, I feel like we’re only satisfied when we win.
“Sometimes it doesn’t even just end there because there’s another tournament that you have to go and play next week, or even if you want to come back and defend that tournament the next year, we’re always chasing after something else. Which I do love.
“I love that drive and that eagerness to constantly be competing and getting better.”
Anisimova is no stranger to the perils of being a professional tennis player.
In 2023, the American stepped away from the sport for seven months, citing burnout and mental health concerns.
Anisimova returned to the Tour in emphatic fashion, reaching two Grand Slam finals and achieving the world number three ranking.
Anisimova’s experiences with taking a break led her to partner with iced tea brand Pure Leaf – a company that seek to champion the same message.
“But that’s also why it’s so important to take breaks and reset because we’re also not robots and we can’t attain that level of just training, and constantly competing. We also have to take our vacations and our time off,” Anisimova continued.
“And that’s also why I think Pure Leaf is the perfect sponsorship for me because I’m someone who really endorses that message, especially on my social media.
“I try to be vocal about how important it is to prioritise your well-being and also take breaks for yourself.”
