Amanda Anisimova of the US serves the ball to Romania's Simona Halep during their women's singles quarter-final match on day twelve of The Roland Garros 2019 French Open tennis tournament in Paris on June 6, 2019. (Photo by Martin BUREAU / AFP)
Seventeen-year-old Amanda Anisimova announced herself as a future star by powering into the French Open semi-finals on Thursday with a stunning victory over defending champion Simona Halep although the tough world of professional tennis meant the locker room celebrations may have been a little subdued.
The world number 51 will be the youngest player to contest a Grand Slam semi-final for 12 years on Friday against eighth seed Ashleigh Barty, after cruising past Halep 6-2, 6-4 in the biggest match of her career so far.
She is the youngest American to make the last four since Jennifer Capriati in 1990, but said she has not been suffering with nerves and even slept through most of Wednesday, when her quarter-final was delayed due to torrential rain.
“I just played the best tennis of my life. I don’t know how, and I don’t know how I did it, but it just happened,” said Anisimova.
“I was just, like, sleeping in the locker room (on Wednesday). I thought I wasn’t going to play, so I was just sleeping.
“Then I left, and I was in traffic a lot, because I wanted to get new shoes.
“Then I didn’t get them, and I was like, Wow, ‘that was a bad idea. Why am I exhausting myself right now?'”
Her unusual preparation had little effect on her performance against Romanian star Halep, as she booked a semi-final spot with surprising ease and is yet to drop a set in the tournament.
Anisimova has long been tipped for big things, reaching the juniors final in Paris three years ago at the age of 14, before winning the US Open girls’ title in 2017.
She gave notice of her potential when reaching the Australian Open fourth round earlier this year and also won her first WTA title in Bogota in April, but says she still misses the camaraderie of junior tennis.
“It was just, like, a fun environment and everyone was just hanging out. It’s kind of different in the WTA. I don’t have that many friends, I’d say,” she said.
“I just miss that a little bit, travelling. There were South American tournaments that I remember and I had good memories there. So just those little memories with old friends.”
Already being compared to Maria Sharapova when she won Wimbledon aged 17 in 2004, as well as other teenage Grand Slam champions like Monica Seles and Martina Hingis, Anisimova is not fazed by the big occasion.
“If I didn’t look nervous it’s because I wasn’t,” she said of facing defending champion Halep on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Anisimova is the youngest American woman to reach the last four of a major since Venus Williams at the 1997 US Open, and said last week that 23-time Slam title winner Serena Williams had helped pick her up after a recent difficult defeat in Miami.
“When I had a tough loss at the Miami Open, it was a really long match and I was super upset in the locker room, Serena actually came up to me and we shared a little bit of a chat.
“That was really nice of her, and I’ll remember it forever.”
Anisimova is one of two teenagers in the last four — 19-year-old Czech Marketa Vondrousova faces Johanna Konta in the other semi — the first time that has happened in the French Open since Justin Henin and Kim Clijsters in 2001.
Williams said that she was more than happy to try and help the latest generation reach the top.
“I just needed to do that, and I know she’s super young. I really love all the new young players,” she said before being dumped out of Roland Garros in the third round by 20-year-old Sofia Kenin.
“It’s just so exciting. I feel like tennis has done so much for me, and to see a new generation come through is great.”
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