American Amanda Anisimova takes a shot during her match against Anastasia Pavliuchenkova.Photo/Getty
American tennis star Amanda Anisimova hopes her decision to step away from professional tennis for mental health reasons will set an example for others struggling with similar issues.
After an eight-month hiatus from competition, the 22-year-old made a stunning return on Monday night, defeating former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavliuchenkova 7-5, 6- in the first round of the ASB Classic. I won with 4.
It was an important result, but what was important was getting back on the court.
She was playing her first match since April after taking an indefinite hiatus from the WTA Tour citing issues with depression and burnout. It was a brave step for such a high-profile athlete to make her personal matters public, but Anisimova had no doubt it was the right way to go.
“I was happy to be honest about the reasons for my resignation,” Anisimova said. “It’s just being vulnerable about it. [was] There was a sense of freedom, and a weight was lifted off my shoulders. And if we can let others know that they are not alone in their suffering, they are not alone. It's really nice to be able to post about this and give some insight into mental health and let people know that it's really important and that self-care should always come first. ”
After playing tennis most of her life and also having to deal with the sudden death of her father in 2019, this break was not only necessary, but also rewarding.
“It was really good,” Anisimova said. “For me, I really needed to reset and get some time and rest.”
She took a road trip to the United States, visited Europe with friends, and enrolled in college for a semester.
“I was able to do a lot of things that I wouldn't have been able to do if I was playing on tour. I had a lot of time, so it was nice to be able to put my energy into other things,” Anisimova said. She also gained a different perspective on tennis.
“I learned a lot during my vacation, but I want to do things differently by the time I come back this season,” Anisimova said. “I've really matured and grown a lot as a person.”
She picked up a racket again in September last year, although she did not specify when she would return. She felt she was ready to compete again, and she returned to her training block in time for Monday's reappearance.
Although it was not a direct match against a top-notch opponent, Anisimova showed signs of her lasting qualities. Former world No. 11 Pavlyuchenkova (currently No. 60) is a veteran who has been on the tour since 2006. The 32-year-old has reached 21 singles finals (12 titles) in that time, including the 2021 Roland Garros final.
The pair exchanged seven breaks in the first set. Anisimova, whose ranking has dropped from a high of 21st to 373rd, showed glimpses of her excellent form, hitting overwhelming winners, especially on the forehand side. But, understandably, she was also struggling with her own rhythm.
Neither player was particularly comfortable on serve thanks to some terrible returns. Anisimova did enough to grab a decisive break at 5-5 and then hit a brave second ace down the middle to end the set.
Anisimova then sought medical attention to deal with muscle spasms. Despite this, the 2020 Oakland semi-finalist picked things up in the second set, accelerating to a 5-1 lead. Pavliuchenkova fought back, but Anisimova sealed the victory with an ace on her second match point.
“I'm happy with how I played,” Anisimova said. “It was really great, especially here in Auckland. I wasn't feeling too well, but I managed to get through it. I really enjoyed every game. I wasn't nervous or anything, I just enjoyed every second. It felt really good because it was just me.”
Anisimova will face fifth seed and world No. 34 Marie Bouzkova in the second round.
