"I don't really get jet lag anymore": Amanda Anisimova simply defends decision to go home after Queen's ahead of return for Wimbledon

Wednesday, 01 July 2026 at 03:00

Amanda Anisimova took down Lina Gjorcheska to open her Wimbledon campaign in a 6-3, 6-2 win. it is her first match at SW19 since losing to iga Swiatek 6-0, 6-0 in the final 12 months ago.

It has been an up and down 12 months since then and also the US Open final she lost less comfortably. But Anisimova is smiling and in a good place as she has balanced time at home with tour life in what has not been the best year but one she is dealing with. "It feels great to be back. I'm super excited to be playing here and competing. I'm very happy with my first-round win as well, so I'm looking forward to the next one," said Anisimova on Tennis Channel.

People often want to play quickly and get off court, but Anisimova ironically said she wanted anything but simply so her friends who were there could see her play for longer which is kind of against the point of the tennis match. But the former finalist said they will be back. "It was a bit fast. I felt like it was a bit slow, and that's normally how first rounds go. I think we're both trying to find our rhythm on the courts.

As I was mentioning earlier, I had a lot of friends there, so I was thinking, "I wish we had some longer rallies or there was a little bit more tennis. But I'm very happy to be through, and very happy that I have that support system watching me. They're there for me, and they'll be there. Hopefully I'll be playing lots of tennis this week."

London a second home slam for Anisimova

Despite losing 6-0, 6-0 in that final last year, Anisimova went on to call London a second home and that the Slam is her second home Slam behind the US Open. High praise indeed. "Lots of great memories. This city means a lot to me, not just Wimbledon but also having family and friends here. I always look forward to coming back. I feel like this is almost my second home Slam. It feels very familiar, and there are always lots of good vibes here."

Anisimova has suffered with a wrist injury all season and hasn't been in form after the greatest year of her life and said that it's all about managing expectations and being happy and healthy which she says she is now.

"It's been a tough year for me, for sure. Definitely different from last year, but that's part of the sport. It's not always linear, and there are going to be ups and downs.

"I think I've done my best to manage everything as well as I can this year with my injury and just accepting how things have gone. But I've still done my best to train and be ready for tournaments.

"I'm just really happy that I'm in a good place now, that I'm healthy, and that I was able to take a few days at home to reset. So I'm feeling great."

Amanda Anisimova surges through.

After she lost to Iva Jovic at Queen's, she didn't stay in the UK and instead was seen on social media going home. But she soon returned saying that she doesn't really get jet lag anymore due to the amount of travelling she does so it justified the move.

"Going home, seeing my family, seeing my nephews, my dog and my friends. Just being at home feels so familiar, and it's definitely my comfort zone. After a few months on the road, I feel like that's the best way I can reset and recharge."

"It was actually five days, so I felt like it was a justifiable amount of time to come back on a flight after being away for three or four weeks. I don't really get jet lag anymore, at least when I come home, because I'm excited to be there and excited to sleep. I don't really factor jet lag in anymore."

But also that she didn't originally expect to go home so she packed her bags in what has already been a strange season and headed home.

"It wasn't really the plan. Normally players go home after the French Open, and I normally stay. If I'm competing and playing lots of tournaments, it's easier to stay.

"But this season was a bit weird for me, so I felt like it was something I needed. I decided to go for it. It was just one of those things where I thought, "You know what? I'm just going to do this." I'm happy I did it. I didn't really have to deal with too much jet lag. When I came back here, I slept for 14 hours, so I was happy. It was good for me."

She has also had to deal with working with a new coach in Sebastian Sachs and was asked about that situation and is glad to report that it is going well.

"I started working with Sebastian Sachs a few months ago at the start of the clay season, and I feel like it's been going very well.

"It wasn't an easy transition for either of us with my injury and having to train and adjust here and there, so it wasn't the most traditional way of starting. But I feel like we've both done really well.

"He believes in me and believes in my potential, and we've really been enjoying the process so far. I'm looking forward to seeing how that develops, and I'm sure we're going to have a great year ahead of us. I'm really, really happy with my team setup and looking forward to seeing how the rest of this year goes."

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

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