Amanda Anisimova captured her first career WTA title Sunday, battling back from a set and a break down to defeat former Vanderbilt University star Astra Sharma of Australia, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, in the final of the Claro Open Colsanitas in Bogota, Colombia.
No. 6-seeded Anisimova was just two games from defeat, down 6-4, 4-4, to Sharma before rallying and eventually going on to win her third straight three-set match of the tournament, and fourth in five matches on the week. She had not posted a clay-court win at the WTA level before last week's tournament in Bogota.
Here’s more on the teenage American star, who jumped 22 spots in the rankings and is now at a career-high No. 54.
The Amanda Anisimova File
Age: 17
Birthplace: Freehold, N.J.
Current Ranking: 54
Career-High Rank: 54 (April 2019)
Best US Open Finish: First round (2018)
The Baseline
- Anisimova, at age 17 years, 226 days, is the youngest American to win a WTA title since Serena Williams took home the trophy at Indian Wells in 1999, at the age of 17 years, 169 days old. She is also the youngest American to win a clay-court title since Lindsay Davenport captured the Lucerne championship in 1993 (at 16 years, 349 days).
- The final in Bogota was the second of Anisimova’s career. She also reached the championship match last year in Hiroshima, where she fell to Hsieh Su-wei of Chinese Taipei. Following the tournament, she made her Top-100 debut, despite missing four months of the season with a foot injury.
- Anisimova made her WTA breakthrough at 2018 Indian Wells, where she posted her first Top-10 victory against world No. 9 Petra Kvitova in the third round, before falling in the Round of 16 to No. 5 Karolina Pliskova. She also reached the fourth round at the Australian Open earlier this year, upsetting No. 11 Aryna Sabalenka in the Round of 32 before losing to Kvitova.
- Anisimova captured the 2017 US Open girls' singles title, defeating fellow American Coco Gauff in the final, and then made her women’s main-draw debut in New York the following year. Among her other junior career highlights, she advanced to the 2016 French Open girls' final at the age of 14 and reached a career-high ITF World Junior Ranking of No. 2 following her Roland Garros performance.
They Said It!
"I’ve played a lot on clay throughout my junior career, and a lot in South America, as well. I was feeling very confident, even if I wasn’t able to play the clay season last year because of my injury. I’m really excited to play on clay again because it’s my favorite surface. This is a huge boost for Europe." — Amanda Anisimova said to WTATennis.com after winning the Bogota title
