Amanda Anisimova Jumps 23 Spots in Rankings After Remarkable Qatar Title Win: ‘Super Special’

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Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-02-18 08:50:57 |

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Amanda Anisimova claimed her first WTA 1000 title with a dominant 6-4, 6-3 win over Jelena Ostapenko, skyrocketing to a career-high world No. 18 in the rankings on Monday.

The victory marks Anisimova’s first title since 2022 and makes her the first American woman to win in Doha since Monica Seles in 2002.

This triumph comes after a challenging start to 2024, following an injury-plagued season, and only a year and a half after Anisimova took a break from tennis to recover from burnout and prioritize her mental health.

“To lift the trophy here for my first WTA 1000 is super special,” Anisimova said after the match. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my team. I love you guys. Without you, this wouldn’t have been possible.”

Reflecting on the journey, Anisimova added, “There’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of tears, a lot of good moments. Tennis brings it all, and that’s why I love it. There have been a lot of challenges in the last few weeks, and I’m very proud of myself and happy with how I’ve dealt with them. It’s been an incredible week.”

Starting the Qatar Open ranked No. 41, Anisimova now rises to No. 18, her highest-ever ranking. At the end of 2023, she had fallen outside the top 350 due to a break she took to protect her mental well-being after struggling with burnout since mid-2022.

“I’ve really been struggling with my mental health and burnout since the summer of 2022,” Anisimova wrote. “It became unbearable to be at tennis tournaments. My priority now is my mental well-being, and I took a break for a while. I’ve worked hard to push through it.”

Anisimova made a remarkable return in 2024, impressing at the Australian Open with a victory over Paula Badosa. In her on-court interview after the win, she shared, “Taking a step away and really being at home, resetting myself, gave me a different perspective going into these tournaments. Now, I try to be present and enjoy every second. I used to get too caught up in the past and future, but having this perspective is a huge advantage for me.”

Anisimova’s return to the world’s top 50 and her first WTA 1000 final at the Canadian Open later in 2024 are further proof of her resilience.

At just 23, Anisimova has faced personal tragedy, including the loss of her father and coach Konstantin shortly after her breakthrough semi-final appearance at Roland Garros in 2019. Despite these challenges, she has plenty of time to continue showcasing her talent on the tennis court.

Meanwhile, Ostapenko, who will rise 11 spots in the rankings to No. 26, reflected on her performance after the final: “Of course, it’s not the result I wanted today, but I really hope I will come back stronger. I hope one day I will lift this trophy.”

Ostapenko, who defeated Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals, reached the Doha final previously in 2016.

Go!