Amanda Anisimova will be a Force to Reckon with in 2026

The story of Amanda Anisimova’s career so far is one of unrecognized talent, but the American’s performance in the second half of 2025 shows that may be about to change.

The American burst onto the scene in 2019, storming into the fourth round before running into the buzzsaw that was Petra Kvitova (who would go on to reach the final). She then moved onto clay, her favorite surface, where she won her first career title before reaching the French Open semifinals. Anisimova actually looked like she would win the tourament, but eventually Ash Barty’s slice and variety overcome her power. Still, Anisimova was only 17, and rocketing to the top of the sport.

Then the unthinkable happened. Anisimova withdrew from the US Open after her father’s tragic and untimely death. I don’t want to presume, because she hasn’t said anything about it herself, but we can’t help but notice that Anisimova was never quite the same since.

After playing a few more years with inconsistent results, Anisimova took a break from tennis in the second half of 2023, citing the need to take care of her mental health. Since her return, she has finally acclimated to the Tour and is achieving the consistent results we all expected from her years ago.

She made her second real breakthrough at Wimbledon this year, reaching the final (after winning the WTA 1000 title in Doha). She defeated Aryna Sabalenka along the way, though she was clearly overwhelmed by the occasion against Iga Swiatek in the final. She avenged that loss at the US Open, and she once again reached the final–this time falling to Sabalenka.

Still, the American hits the hardest and flattest ball on Tour. Her consistency and confidence are skyrocketing. If she keeps improving at the rate she did in 2025, there might not be anyone on Tour who can stop her in 2026.