MIAMI — The Miami Open isn’t only a homecoming for Amanda Anisimova.
It doubles as a return to the place it began.
The World No. 6 nonetheless lights up when she talks about coming to this occasion as a child, again when it was held in Key Biscayne. Long earlier than she imagined herself contained in the draw, she would spend whole days on the grounds, watching, wandering and taking all of it in.
Nearly a decade after making her WTA Tour main-draw debut right here in 2017, Anisimova arrives with a special perspective — now not the child within the stands, however one of many gamers followers now come to observe.
And together with her residence base simply up the highway in Miami Beach, the familiarity runs even deeper.
“I would go to the Crandon Park site a lot as a kid, and I absolutely loved it,” the 24-year-old mentioned of the previous venue, which held the match from 1987-2018. “It was one of my favorite times of the year. It’s a lot of cute memories.”
She additionally remembers eager to change into a ball child, however deciding that the rigorous coaching required to land the gig wasn’t price it.
The two-time Grand Slam finalist on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz remembers watching Caroline Wozniacki, Roger Federer and Victoria Azarenka play — and observe, when she was fortunate sufficient to get a very good view. But maybe her most cherished reminiscence was when icons Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams signed her hat, which she made certain to put on religiously for the whole thing of the next 12 months.
At the time, Anisimova by no means thought-about that she would possibly comply with in these gamers’ footsteps in the future.
“I was a fan,” she mentioned. “Obviously I played a lot, and I competed, but the dream was just so far [away], and I was just a kid as well. Maybe some kids dream that one day they’ll be there, but I think that it just didn’t seem realistic to me as a child.”
Anisimova did not simply get there; she basically began her profession there. That first match in opposition to Taylor Townsend was a tricky three-set loss, however Anisimova returned the subsequent 12 months and beat Qiang Wang in a match the place she injured her proper foot within the third set. It can be her one and solely win in Key Biscayne, as she withdrew from the match forward of her subsequent match in opposition to Garbine Muguruza.
The subsequent 12 months the Miami Open relocated to Hard Rock Stadium, and she or he’s nonetheless on the lookout for her breakthrough on the match which means a lot to her. Her finest end result got here final 12 months, when she snapped Mirra Andreeva’s 13-match profitable streak earlier than falling to Emma Raducanu within the fourth spherical.
This 12 months the expectations are increased, and she or he has the benefit of attending to sleep in her personal mattress. She additionally sometimes drives to the stadium with associates, an added perk that makes the match really feel extra enjoyable and acquainted.
“I’m going into this tournament feeling good,” she mentioned. “I feel like I’ve had quite a few matches this year already and have been playing good tennis. So yeah, just happy to be here. I feel healthy. Just looking forward to getting started, and hopefully I can keep that momentum going.”
Seeded sixth, Anisimova acquired a bye into the second spherical, the place she’ll play Ajla Tomljanovic. Anisimova has did not beat the Australian in two tries, although they have not performed since 2021.
