(VIDEO) Tempers flare for Amanda Anisimova as she takes anger out on tennis bag after semi-final defeat in Dubai

Frustrations boiled over for Amanda Anisimova after her excruciating defeat against Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. She was in no mood to be waiting around at the end, with her anger and pain clear to see as she tried to pack her rackets away.

After a disappointing early retirement which abruptly halted her title defence of the Qatar Open, the American was desperate to quickly get back on track. She had just come through a titanic battle against Mirra Andreeva in a topsy turvey three set clash in which the pendulum kept swinging from side to side, in favour of one player one second and the other the next.

That gruelling battle would set her up with a semi-final clash against fellow American Pegula. It was Anisimova's fourth WTA 1000 semi-final and she was unbeaten in all of them. The odds on keeping that impressive streak seemed to be quite high as the world number six jumped out to an early set advantage, racing away from her opponent.

She would back this up with a break to kick off the second set before her clinical streak ended after missing the chance to go 3-0 ahead. This was a huge let off for Pegula who was going to make the most of it. She got the match back on serve before instantly breaking Anisimova back after she had put in so much hard work to regain her lead. Pegula showed her class at the end, winning three games on the spin to come out on top 6-4 and level the match up.

Just one break of serve would be enough for Pegula to run away with the third and final set, enroute to a 4-1 lead. Anisimova was in a race against time to seize back the advantage but was unable to. The American number two served it out with a comprehensive hold to love to seal a huge victory, marking an eighth WTA 1000 final with a fourth title just around the corner.

In recent times, tempers flaring on court has not been uncommon, showing the tension and pressure these players are under. Anisimova is one of those players who is not afraid to show her true feelings no matter how grim.

She would bow out at the semi-final stage despite her quick start and was wanting to get out of Centre Court as quickly as possible. In her anger, she hurriedly tried to put one of her rackets in her bag, holding the other one in her other hands. She failed to complete this task before whacking her bag numerous times out of sheer frustration.

She eventually forcefully put both pieces of equipment into the bag and soon after left the court, marking a visibly vexing day for the 24-year-old.

There are some rivals in tennis that are incredibly one sided, and that can be clearly seen in the comparison between Anisimova and Pegula, firmly in favour of the 31-year-old.

Their first meeting came back in the Cincinnati Open in 2020m in which Pegula won in straight sets enroute to a maiden WTA 1000 quarterfinal. It would be another four years before the two stepped back onto the court, facing off at the Charleston Open last-32 stage. Pegula came from a set down to win, but their next matchup was the biggest of them all.

The 2024 Canadian Open final was a first WTA 1000 final for Anisimova who was finally proving to the hype put around her at a young age. She was facing a wily competitor and again succumbed to defeat in three sets. A brace of exhibitions saw contrasting results at the end of 2025. Now a fully fledged top five player, Anisimova backed her chances of ending the misery against her fellow American much more. She lost the first exhibition tie in New Jersey before the next day finally taking her down in Miami.

However, Anisimova has been unable to keep this form up. Already they have clashed in two high stakes matches, and both times Pegula has triumphed. First the Australian Open quarterfinal, and now the last-four stage in Dubai. Anisimova will have some time to ponder on this before she returns to home soil ahead of the imminent Sunshine swing.