As the Miami Open’s spotlight swings towards the impending faceoff between Emma Raducanu and Amanda Anisimova, the latter has sent a stark reminder that she is not one to trifle with. The 23-year-old American player, fresh off an unexpected victory against the formidable Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, has earned her place in the tournament’s last 16.
Anisimova’s triumph over Andreeva, who has been a formidable force in the tennis field with her victories at the previous two WTA 1000 events in Dubai and Indian Wells, came as a shock to many. The Russian prodigy, who holds the record for being the youngest player to enter the top 10 world rankings since Nicole Vaidisova’s feat in 2007, saw her 13-match winning spree cut short by Anisimova in a match marred by controversy.
The significant point of contention arose during the deciding set when Anisimova, lagging 3-1, called for a medical timeout to address a blister on the middle finger of her right hand. Andreeva, evidently irked, accused her opponent of deliberately disrupting the game’s momentum, an allegation promptly dismissed by the umpire.
Interestingly, Andreeva had earlier taken a medical timeout herself, citing stomach pain which she claimed affected her breathing during the first set. Anisimova responded to this perceived double standard on social media, posting a picture of her blistered middle finger, subtly but unmistakably signifying her stance on the issue.
The world number 17 further poked fun at her opponent’s comment, captioning the image, “‘We all know why’ at 3-1 up was a good one coming from the 1-2 first set medical.” During her post-match press conference, Anisimova criticized the early disruption, stating, “I think it broke the rhythm of the match a little bit because we had just started. I was trying to pick up my rhythm after that.”
Her sights now set on Britain’s Emma Raducanu, Anisimova is ready for the last-16 match. Raducanu, too, has managed to upset the apple cart by advancing this far in the tournament, especially after suffering four defeats in her last five matches before arriving in America.
As the pair prepare to spar at the Miami Open tonight, it promises to be an intriguing match, with both players having demonstrated their ability to defy expectations and challenge the status quo.
