"I imagine the detractors will keep criticising" - Anastasia Potapova explains contentious gesture after Anisimova win

Anastasia Potapova may have reached the last-16 of the US Open for the first time but that did not stop her from getting a bit of stick as she was forced to clarify a gesture she did at the end of her 6-2, 7-5 in a terrific win against Amanda Anisimova.

The 2025 runner-up has faltered again on the big stage in 2026 after what had been a more promising period for the American. Potapova took full advantage of this after a bit of a sloppy period she has gone through following an unbelievable clay swing where she finally relished her potential on the big stage.

After taking down Anisimova, the Austrian seemed to make a gesture that many interpreted as a provocation towards her defeated opponent who was trudging off the court and out of the US Open. She seemed to sarcastically wave in her direction, causing a lot of people to believe that she was aiming that at Anisimova.

In her press conference afterwards, Potapova immediately confirmed that there was no malice towards Anisimova, saying that it was to a friend sitting in the stands.

"I see so many questions about my gesture after the match," she said. "You just want to make a big deal out of it. I waved to my friend, who was sitting here to support me. Be cooler, but I imagine the detractors will keep criticising."

Potapova has reached the last-16 of a major tournament on two occasions, both coming at Roland Garros. This is a third achieved and the first ever at US Open, a big achievement for the 25-year-old who continues her brilliant 2026 campaign.

Darja Semensistaja, Leolia Jeanjean and now Anisimova have been disposed of in New York as she looks to prolong a fine run.

She will take on Mirra Andreeva with the pair having some history competing against each other. They actually faced off against each other last year in the second round of the tournament, in which Andreeva blasted through in straight sets.

They also faced off in the final in Linz earlier this year as Potapova challenged for a first title on home soil, but again Andreeva took home the spoils. In their four separate meetings, Potapova has won just one of them which came all the way back in 2022 in Tunisia. If she manages to double her win tally over the 19-year-old, then it will be a maiden major quarter-final for Potapova, and another huge breakthrough.