"They were about to film a TikTok and asked me to join in" - Anisimova strides for authenticity on and off court as she discusses hanging out with Sabalenka

After hanging out with some of the best WTA players on tour, Amanda Anisimova has her business face back on with the Australian Open title in her sights. She started well, overcoming early frustrations to defeat Simona Waltert 6-3, 6-2.

It seemed like the two-time Grand Slam finalist had the upper hand in the first set, despite not producing her A-game. After being broken back, she clinched a definitive break to move her within touching distance of the set, before commandingly sailing into an imperious advantage.

Her Swiss opponent was not able to fight back, falling 5-1 down to Anisimova before succumbing to defeat. "It feels great. First rounds are always very tricky, so I’m really happy to be through to the next one. I thought I played pretty well today," Anisimova mentioned in her press conference after the win.

While it was a great win and a huge relief off her shoulders, it was not smooth sailing with her letting frustration out on the court. "Yeah, I mean in the first set I was making a lot of mistakes, but that’s normal. I think the most important thing is that I had a good attitude for the entire match. I was able to pick up my level a little bit in the second set and cut down on some errors."

The reporter read out a stat from the first set which stated that she made more unforced errors than winners in the first set. However, she was still very comfortable in winning it. "I don’t really want to overthink it," she answered. "The most important thing was that I wasn’t letting the mistakes get to my head. I was regrouping after every single one."

The main thing is that she won the set, not wanting to dwell too much on it. "I wasn’t thinking too analytically. It was the first match, and there were things I was trying to work on. Sometimes it didn’t work, and I told myself that was fine — to make those mistakes but still go for it. I’m not trying to think too much about it or get down on myself."

Over in Brisbane, Anisimova enjoyed herself in the company of Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa, even filming a TikTok with the duo. "We filmed it when we were in Brisbane. I like both of the girls — they’re very nice. They were about to film a TikTok and asked me to join in, so it was just funny," she said.

"I like to have fun with the players, and I feel like I have a lot of good relationships on tour. That’s really important to me personally. We’re around each other more than our own family and friends most of the time, so I think it’s important to have those relationships and be able to have fun off the court."

That was a huge positive when it came to both Sabalenka and Badosa, who are seen as popular figures away from the court. "I really like that about Aryna and Paula — they’re able to maintain a fun environment outside of match play, whether we’re practicing or just around each other. It’s very light and fun, and I really enjoy that."

This intertwines with being herself, not just seen as the ferocious competitor on court the majority of fans see, with Anisimova wanting to be her in any type of scenario or scenery. "It means the world to me. I love being myself, regardless of the career I have. That’s the most important thing — being true to myself," she asserted.

"I love to have fun and not really have a filter, but when I’m on the court my demeanour changes. I’m more serious. Off the court, having fun is how I make this career and lifestyle sustainable. I feel like I’ve found a really good balance with that over the last few years."

There is a lot of scrutiny and pressure now on Anisimova, who has cemented herself as one of the best WTA players on the planet. Last year, she reached two Grand Slam finals, won two WTA 1000 titles and climbed to a career-high ranking of three in the world at the start of 2026.

Back down to fourth, she is desperately hoping to continue her incredible form going into this year, with Melbourne the perfect place to continue these positive results. She is not letting last season get to her. "I’m just focused on what I need to do and how I want to improve as a player," she admitted. "There’s not much to it, really. I’m just trying to find that extra edge wherever I can, the same as last year. My goal is always to improve and get the best out of myself every single day, and that hasn’t changed."

To stay at the top, Anisimova is targeting to be the best athlete she can be, with her describing the two key components to this. "Consistency and discipline. When you put in the work every day, you get fitter and you can keep improving," she explained. "That has a lot to do with time and giving myself time to improve as much as I can. It’s not a sprint — it’s more like a marathon. Those things take time. I’m just hoping to stay healthy day by day, keep doing the right things, and trust the team I have to help me improve."

It is a huge relief for the 24-year-old to get her opening test out of the way, with many seeing the first match of any competition as the one most pressurised. Anisimova was not fully in agreement.

"I think it depends. I had a lot of great opening rounds at Slams last year where I played very well. Sometimes you ease into the tournament the more matches you play. Every match is different, and the conditions are always different. But getting through the first round is really important, and I think it gets easier from there."

If there was any pressure on her, then she did well to shrug it off and focus on the task at hand, as she explained how she avoids overthinking these types of scenarios.

"Today I honestly didn’t really think much. I finished the match and just thought, 'That’s how I played, and that’s fine.' I do have routines when it comes to mindfulness and grounding myself, and I try to stick to those every day. It helps remind me to stay in the present moment. When I get caught up in the future or the past, I try to bring myself back. It’s hard, and it’s an ongoing thing I’m working on. I have techniques that I keep practicing, and that’s what I try to rely on in moments of overthinking or stress," she concluded.