Amanda Anisimova’s Injury Forces Wuhan Withdrawal Days After Surpassing Coco Gauff

Amanda Anisimova capped a remarkable run by claiming the penultimate WTA 1000 title of the year in Beijing, defeating Noskova 6-0, 2-6, 6-2, her fourth title of 2025 and second WTA 1000 crown after Doha. However, the story of her resurgence is far more complex than it appears from the outside. “It was a bit tough to digest, obviously, especially during and right after. It’s not how I would have wanted my first Grand Slam final to go,” she admitted after Wimbledon final loss, and even after another US Open final loss, she rebounded brilliantly, surpassing Coco Gauff to claim No. 3 in the Race to the WTA Finals. Yet just as momentum surged, calamity struck: Anisimova’s injury forced her withdrawal from Wuhan.

Amanda Anisimova will not compete at the Wuhan Open, withdrawing before her scheduled debut match. The World No. 4 had been drawn to face Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round, but her exit from the tournament was officially confirmed Monday. After a grueling run in Beijing, where she overcame six matches in nine days against formidable opponents like Karolina Muchova, Jasmine Paolini, and Coco Gauff, Anisimova cited discomfort in her left calf as the reason for stepping back, prioritizing rest and recovery ahead of the final challenges of the year.

Anisimova’s withdrawal opens the door for 17-year-old Lucky Loser Iva Jovic, who lost in the second qualifying round to Varvara Gracheva but will now enter the Wuhan main draw. As the fourth seed, Anisimova had a first-round bye, meaning Jovic will immediately face Bouzas Maneiro in her main-draw debut, a sudden twist that underscores the unpredictability of the tour.

(More to come…)