“I had to take my wisdom tooth out the day that I flew”: Amanda Anisimova laughs off pain before China Open final

Saturday, 04 October 2025 at 18:58

Amanda Anisimova is having another great tournament on the WTA Tour, reaching her 5th final of the season after defeating the defending China Open champion, Coco Gauff, in under an hour. The World No. 4 qualified for back-to-back finals for the first time, having been runner-up at the US Open just a few weeks ago.

Anisimova arrived at the tournament as the third seed, but with doubts about the level she could display. On the very day the American flew to Beijing, she had to have a wisdom tooth extracted, which could have easily affected her performance. Nevertheless, she has had a notable run, defeating high-caliber rivals since the first round.

This will be Anisimova's second WTA 1000 final—she already lifted the title at the Doha Open earlier in the season. She reached the semifinals after overcoming a couple of tough three-set challenges against 13th seed Karolina Muchova and 6th seed Jasmine Paolini. In both cases, she had to come back from a set down to secure the victory.

However, against Gauff—which seemed like an even contest—it turned into a steamroller performance by Anisimova. It took her only 58 minutes to secure the 6-1, 6-2 victory and advance to the final match in Beijing, where she will face 19-year-old Linda Noskova. "I am very excited to reach the final,” she said after the match. “I played a great match, all my shots worked. I wish I could play at this level more often.

“I understand myself better each time, stay true to my style, and enjoy difficult challenges. I did not expect to perform so well here at all, after weeks of inactivity," she added on press conference. “Had to take my wisdom tooth out the day that I flew. I was like, Oh, is it a mistake I’m flying there? Everything was just off to a bad start.”

Anisimova's perfect performance against Gauff

It was a notable presentation by Anisimova against Gauff in what was their third official match, although the last one had been more than three years ago at Wimbledon 2022—a victory for Anisimova, who now leads the head-to-head 2-1.

However, they had not faced each other in the last year—with Gauff long established in the Top 5 and Anisimova having cemented her place among the contenders for major titles this past season. "I was able to put on a really good performance, and I knew I was going to have to play very well against Coco if I wanted to get the win, and yeah, I’m really excited to be in the final. I love playing here.”

“The crowd support has been so amazing since the first day that I got here, and I really think that’s carried me through this entire tournament. So hopefully everyone can come out and support me again in the final.”

Anisimova vs. Noskova: Final Showdown Set

Anisimova will be vying for her second title of the season and the 4th of her career this Sunday. In 2025, she has reached four finals but only managed to take the title in Doha against Jelena Ostapenko. In the second half of the year, she lost in the finals of the Queen’s Club Championships (against Tatjana Maria), Wimbledon (against Swiatek), and the US Open (against Sabalenka).

"When I don't feel in the best physical shape possible, I play more freely because I relieve pressure,” she explained. “I am surprising myself, feeling that I am improving a lot as a tennis player. The achievements I have reached this year are a result of the hard work I have put in and I hope to finish the season in the best possible way. It's not easy because the year is very long, but I have a lot of confidence.”

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Her opponent will be the surprising Linda Noskova, 20, who reached her first WTA 1000 final and will be seeking the second title of her career. The Czech also guaranteed her career-best ranking as World No. 17 at the end of the tournament—though she could rise to No. 13 if she wins the title. The current head-to-head is 1-1, with their last encounter being in the Round of 16 at Wimbledon, where Anisimova won on her way to the final.

Match Info:

Linda Noskova - Amanda Anisimova

Start time (local): Sun, 5 Oct, 7:00 PM

Start time (your time): Sun, 5 Oct, 7:00 PM

Court: Capital Group Diamond

Tournament: China Open

Round: Final

Head-to-Head

	Noskova	Anisimova
H2H Record
Total Wins	1	1
Win Streak	0	1
Ranking
Official	27	4
Race	20	4
Live Ranking
Live	17 (+10)	4
Live Race	15 (+5)	4
Bios
Age	20 (17 Nov 2004)	24 (31 Aug 2001)
Residence	Přerov, Czech Republic	Aventura, Florida, US
Height	-	5'10" (180cm)
Weight	-	150lbs (68kg)
Plays	Right-handed (2HBH)	Right-handed (2HBH)
Coach	Tomáš Krupa, David Kotyza	Hendrik Vleeshouwers
YTD W/L	32–22 (59%)	43–13 (77%)
Titles (YTD/Career)	- / 1	1 / 3
Prize Money	$2,971,039	$10,212,656
Past Meetings
A. Anisimova def. L. Noskova — Wimbledon R16 (6-2, 5-7, 6-4) 6 Jul 2025
L. Noskova def. A. Anisimova — Indian Wells R64 (7-6, 6-3) 11 Mar 2023

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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