Amanda Anisimova recalls 'unreal' win against Naomi Osaka at Australian Open 2022

Amanda Anisimova has showcased some of her best tennis in Australia over the years, but a third-round thriller to upset Naomi Osaka at her favorite hunting ground in 2022 is perhaps a striking highlight of the American's exploits in the country.

A 17-year-old Anisimova debuted at the Australian Open back in 2019, where she beat No. 11 seed Aryna Sabalenka en route to the fourth round. The American repeated the run this year, losing to eventual champion Ashleigh Barty just a couple of weeks after lifting her second WTA title at the Melbourne Summer Set.

The Australian Open recently released a throwback reel of Anisimova's most notable performances at Melbourne Park, with the 20-year-old reminiscing about her time at the 'Happy Slam':

"The first time I played the Australian Open, I reached the fourth round, so it was very special for me," the World No. 23 said. "I think the most complicated part about tennis is not knowing whether you'll make it or not. Just the unknown of whether you'll become successful."

🇺🇸 @AnisimovaAmanda is ready to rumble 💪 https://t.co/oxxaXjbW0a

Anisimova then went on to recall her third-round match against defending champion Osaka at the 2022 edition of the tournament. It was the duo's first encounter, and the Japanese clinched the first set before her opponent equalized after taking the second. Anisimova eventually prevailed in the final set tiebreaker to cause a major upset.

She later described her triumph as "unreal" before underlining her ability to showcase a resilient fighting spirit time and again.

"To play Naomi for the first time, it's unreal, honestly. My favorite quality of mine that I always try to work on is that I will always put up a fight no matter what. I love playing in front of Australian fans. It's just so fun out here. I absolutely love it," she added.

Naomi Osaka took on Anisimova for a second time in the opener of the 2022 French Open, going down 7-5, 6-4 to seal an early exit.

Naomi Osaka yet to confirm pre-Australian Open schedule, Amanda Anisimova to feature in Adelaide

Naomi Osaka last played a complete match at the 2022 US Open, where she lost to No. 19 seed Danielle Collins in straight sets. The loss meant the 25-year-old had to finish the season without a Major triumph, a first since 2017. Osaka adopted a more truncated schedule this year to focus on her mental health.

Earlier this year, the World No. 42 expressed her plans to play the "least number of tournaments" possible for the rest of the season, citing the taxing longevity of the tennis calendar.

"Honestly, I feel like the tennis season is a bit too long, but that’s just my personal opinion. I feel like I’m the type of person that, this is also a bad thing about me, like I want to play the least amount of tournaments as possible, but in order to do that, I have to do well at every tournament," Naomi Osaka said after her first-round win at the 2022 BNP Paribas Open.

As things stand, Naomi Osaka hasn't entered any of the tune-up tournaments ahead of the Australian Open. Amanda Anisimova, meanwhile, is slated to compete at the WTA 500 event in Adelaide next week, where she will be joined by Ons Jabeur, Aryna Sabalenka, Danielle Collins, and others.