Aryna Sabalenka overcame Anisim’s hard challenge from Amanda Anisim to get into her third quarterfinals of the French Open on Sunday, June 1. Sabalenka takes over Qinwen Zheng in the last eight phase, but had to dig deep in the first file to overcome Anisimov.
Sabalenka came to the competition and lost five of her seven previous meetings with Anisim. One of them was in Roland Garros in 2019 when young Anisimova went to the semifinals. But the Bellarus star managed to show the form that helped her require the best place in the ranking and took the American to win the match 7-5, 6-3 in one hour and 32 minutes.
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During the match it felt that Sabalenka would run away with the match when she grabbed 4-1 lead soon and she held her first set point at 5-3. But at that moment, Anisimova decided to bring part of her best game and Sabalenek laid on her hind leg. She quickly settled things and held two points of breaks at 6-5.
However, world 1 quickly thwarted a few good portions and ace that holds in 6-5. It turned out to be a key point because Sabalenka was able to break Anisimov to claim the first set. Sabalenka quickly raced for 5-2 leadership, but Anisimova came again to save a total of six points of the match.
World No. 1 could eventually regroup and win victory. Sabalenka appreciated Anisim’s challenge on the day and said she was happy with the victory.
“He’s a great player, hard,” Sabalenka said in an interview after the match.
“We had hard battles in the past. I was honestly so concentrated, putting so much pressure on it, changing some rhythm. I am very happy with the victory. It urged me a lot.”
Sabalenka, who did not pass around the semi -finals of Roland Garros, said she was very hungry this time and wants to be there until the last day.
“I’m very hungry after this tournament. I want to stay until the last day,” Sabalenka said.
World No. 1 will face Zheng, who overcome early fluctuations to defeat the Russian Liudmil Samson’s 7-6 (5) 1-6 6-3 and reaching the quarterfinals for the first time in her career.
Published on:
1 June 2025
