Local hopefuls surge: Amanda Anisimova joins four other Americans in Round of 16

Amanda Anisimova advanced to the fourth round of the US Open after overcoming a tenacious Jaqueline Cristian with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory. The world No. 9 has reached the second week of the US Open for the first time—the only Grand Slam where she had never advanced to the Round of 16. Anisimova used the home-court advantage to put on another great performance and overcome her opponent's resistance.

Anisimova now has 9 wins in her last 10 Grand Slam appearances, with the only exception being her loss in the Wimbledon final two months ago. She becomes the fifth American to reach the last 16 and is now waiting for her next challenge against the winner of the match between Beatriz Haddad Maia and Maria Sakkari.

Anisimova's explosive start stuns Cristian

Anisimova was the clear favorite as the home player and more experienced in this type of match. The Wimbledon finalist from a couple of months ago showed off her best weapons from the start, with a 75% first-serve percentage, winning 62% of those points (and a remarkable 86% on her second serve). The American easily held her first service games and quickly found her rhythm on the return. The world No. 9 took two consecutive breaks, building an impressive 5-1 lead after about 20 minutes.

It looked like it would be an easy day for the 23-year-old, but the Romanian had other plans. Cristian, 27, held her next service game and went on a good run, getting one of the breaks back. When serving at 3-5, she had to face a set point, but Anisimova couldn't convert it. Still, the home player comfortably sealed the set with a solid service game, taking the lead 6-4 in a set that ended up being more complicated than expected.

Cristian's tenacity flips the script

The start of the second set became a rollercoaster. Anisimova wanted to take the momentum of the match, and after a long 18-point game, she finally got the opening break on her fourth chance. However, she couldn't consolidate her lead with her serve, and Cristian quickly broke back. The Romanian grew more confident, true to her fighting style. She played tough from the baseline and took advantage of Anisimova's constant unforced errors. Both players managed to hold their serves, despite the American more often taking the initiative in rallies—totaling 10 winners in the set compared to just two from the European.

Cristian proved what a great competitor she is, surviving several difficult moments to hold her serve. The Romanian played the big points well to stay ahead until 5-4. It was there that Anisimova's errors piled up, and she ended up giving a break away on a platter, allowing the European to take the set 6-4 and get closer than ever to a potential first appearance in the second week of a Grand Slam.

Anisimova's final push in third set

It was a complicated start to the second set for both players, with nerves clearly showing. Anisimova broke serve twice in a row, while Cristian did so once at the start. The American went up 3-1, being the first to win a service game and getting on track to go for the victory. Anisimova found her form again in the deciding set.

Cristian's early break was a blip in a set that was predominantly dominated by Anisimova's aggressive baseline play. She gained confidence with her shots and reduced her unforced errors. This is how the American got the double break in the 7th game, setting everything up to close out the match. Anisimova didn't falter and finished a hard-fought victory with a score of 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in just over two hours.

Anisimova joins the American contingent in the Round of 16

With this victory, Anisimova becomes the fifth American player to advance to the women's Round of 16. The 2023 champion Coco Gauff and the 2024 runner-up Jessica Pegula lead the local hopefuls, which also includes a couple of surprises in Taylor Townsend and Ann Li (the latter will face Pegula, guaranteeing at least one American in the quarterfinals so far).

Anisimova, the 8th seed in the draw, has fulfilled her favorite status and is now waiting to find out her next opponent. She will face the winner of the match between Maria Sakkari (a 2021 semifinalist) and the 18th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia (a 2024 quarterfinalist). Both are players who have established themselves in the top 10 and have made their presence felt in the draw.