"It means the world, I'm just happy that my whole family got to watch" - Amanda Anisimova revels in the 'love' after reaching Canadian Open final
Amanda Anisimova has booked her place in her maiden WTA 1000 final at the Canadian Open with a stellar performance in the semifinals. The American took great pleasure in enjoying the support of her family and friends in person during the contest.
Anisimova has gone from strength to strength during her campaign at the WTA 1000 event in Toronto, beating fifth seed Daria Kasatkina and second seed Aryna Sabalenka to reach the semifinals. The American continued her remarkable run against eighth seed Emma Navarro, beating her compatriot 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in one hour and 55 minutes.
Speaking in her post-match press conference, Amanda Anisimova expressed her elation at reaching her maiden WTA 1000 final and admitted her surprise at her impressive campaign so far. The 22-year-old also emphasized her hunger for further success in Toronto, eyeing her first title of the season.
"Yeah, I'm super happy. This is a huge accomplishment for me, and something I've been working really hard towards. I'm just super happy, honestly, with my week here, and, yeah, I'm pretty surprised with how well I've been able to do so far. I'm still hungry for more, and I hope that I can really do well tomorrow," Anisimova said.
Anisimova was thrilled to celebrate her accomplishment with her family and friends, who had the chance to cheer her on in person. The 22-year-old also reveled in the outpouring of "love" from her supporters and tennis fans.
"Yeah, I mean, it means the world. I'm just happy that my whole family got to watch my match today, and all my friends, so, yeah, it's really nice to see all of that love and that feedback after my match. Yeah, I'll just talk to the people close to me and just try and focus on tomorrow," she said.
Amanda Anisimova to take on defending champion Jessica Pegula in Canadian Open final
Amanda Anisimova will face a tough challenge in her quest to win her maiden WTA 1000 title at the 2024 Canadian Open as she takes on third seed and defending champion Jessica Pegula in the final.
The duo's most recent encounter at this year's Charleston Open ended in a narrow 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(3) win for Pegula, allowing her to take a 2-0 lead in their head-to-head record.
Looking ahead to their title clash in Toronto, Anisimova reflected on the valuable lessons she could take from her defeat to the World No. 6 in Charleston, revealing that she had left the match feeling proud of her performance despite the loss.
"Honestly, I don't really remember it that well. I know it was three sets, it was a super long match. I was happy with how I played that day, and I fought really hard. I know that I left feeling very proud of myself," Amanda Anisimova said in the same press conference.
"Even though I lost that match, I was playing really well, and I think overall it was a good experience, so, yeah, there are some things I can take away from that match going into tomorrow," she added.
Following their title clash in Toronto, Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula will both be in action at the Cincinnati Open. Anisimova will kick off her campaign against Victoria Azarenka, while No. 6 seed Pegula will receive a first-round bye.