"I woke up with muscle spasms in my shoulder": Amanda Anisimova's comeback nearly didn't happen prior to Pavlyuchenkova win

WTA
Tuesday, 02 January 2024 at 01:00
anisimova australian open 2
Amanda Anisimova secured a notable victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, defeating her 7-5, 6-4 in the 2024 ASB Classic. This marked Anisimova's first match in nine months after taking a hiatus from the Tour. The American faced challenges in 2023 due to injuries and a lack of consistency, prompting her to take a break for her mental health.
Despite the extended absence from competition, Anisimova clinched an impressive win against the Russian, who was a finalist in the 2021 Australian Open. The 22-year-old athlete revealed in the on-court interview that she almost didn't play due to physical discomfort in her shoulder earlier in the day.
Former world No. 21 is hopeful that the 2023 season will propel her back into the higher echelons of the rankings. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to commence her season in Brisbane, stating, "I’m so happy to be here. I love this tournament. It’s so nice to start the year out here."

Anisimova physical issues before debut

Anisimova expressed her happiness after the victory, particularly for being available to compete: “I knew that it was gonna be a really tough match, playing against her, and I’m just happy that I was able to pull off the win and played some good tennis,” the former French Open semifinalist said.
“Honestly, in the morning I woke up with muscle spasms in my shoulder. I didn’t think I’d be able to play today. I was just so upset, and I have the wildcard for this tournament, so I was just like ‘I really want to play for myself today,’ but also for the tournament,” she added.
“I was really appreciative of them giving me the opportunity, so I was really happy that I was even able to play because until the last second I wasn’t sure. I’m just proud of myself for coming out here & really pushing myself,” Anisimova concluded.
Her next match will be against the 5th seed Marie Bouzkova (world No. 35), who defeated Magdalena Frech in the first round by 6-0, 3-6, 6-4. Anisimova aims to continue gaining match practice before her participation in the Australian Open. Despite being ranked world No. 338, the American gained entry to the main draw thanks to her protected ranking.

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