Amanda Anisimova’s momentum was briefly halted at the Miami Open as she went out to Anett Kontaveit 6-3 1-6 6-4.
The 17 year-old American has risen up the rankings as she has progressed inside the top 80 in the world and made a fourth round at a grand slam.
After her last win, Anisimova claimed that she is inspired by the likes of Maria Sharapova as she looks to keep on rising, “Yeah, I mean, I look up to Maria Sharapova,” Anisimova explained.
“I always have. At the moment, I’m just really focusing on myself and my game, looking at everything else, like what other players do good and taking positives from them.”
The Florida resident will need to look at the positives from her latest defeat after exiting the Miami Open in the second round to Anett Kontaveit.
After losing the last five games in the opening set, Anisimova used her backhand to her advantage as she raced to a 6-1 set and levelled the match.
In the final set she secured an early break and had chances for a double break on multiple occasions. However the 21st seed remained composed and kept frustrating the talented American.
Eventually the inexperienced Anisimova fell in a very tight match as Kontaveit produced great power to break and seal her place in the third round.
There is no doubt that Anisimova has plenty of talent and will continue to rise to the top of the women’s game as she joins a whole list of talented youngsters on the WTA tour. The American’s next tournament will be Charleston.
But it was the Estonian who advances to the third round of the Miami Open and will now play Ajla Tomljanovic after the Australian’s 6-3 6-4 win over Aryna Sabalenka.
The Belarusian continued her struggles in big events as she failed to beat Tomljanovic for a second week in a row after beating her in Indian Wells.
A solid match from Tomljanovic meant that she grabbed her first top 20 win since Roland Garros 2014 when she beat Agnieszka Radwanska.
As for the ninth seed, she will look to rediscover some much needed form as she approaches the clay court season.
