NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 10, 2024

Amanda Anisimova

Press Conference

A. ANISIMOVA/A. Sabalenka

6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Who would like to ask our first question today?

Q. Just your thoughts on the match and how you battled through the conditions out there today.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, it was really tough. It was really windy today, so I think it took some time for me to get used to that out there. I was just trying to play smart and try to make as little mistakes as possible.

Then in the second set I think I really stepped it up, and overall I'm happy with how I played today.

Q. You improved to 5-2 against Sabalenka. What works so well for you against one of the best players in the world?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I just try to stick to my game, play very aggressive, and, yeah, it's always a pretty tough matchup, always ends up being a very good match between us. I'm really happy with today and my performance. If I'm not a hundred percent there, you know, it's not likely to win against a player like that, so I'm happy with how I played today.

Q. This is your first semifinal in a couple of years, how does it feel to be back on this stage level?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, it feels amazing. I've been working really hard the last few months, and I think it's my first time in the semis of a 1000, so I'm really happy with this result. Yeah, I'm just really proud of myself, and I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. If you're okay speaking to this, you took a break from the game last year, just wondered what that break did for you and how you're feeling now.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I think that after the break I felt very refreshed and just had a different kind of head space, like more clarity. I just was very burnt out before I took the break, so coming back I was enjoying it a lot more, and the training and all the process, I had like a different perspective for it. Yeah, I think that I just gained a different perspective when it comes to traveling and the training process.

As I said. I'm just really happy to be back, and I think taking the break really just helped me, because I honestly never took a break that was longer than like two weeks in my life, so I think I just needed that as a human being to just rest for once and just let my body recover.

Q. Having accomplished all that you did at a young age, and then you took that break, how do you go about defining success and setting goals at this stage of your career compared to when you were younger and playing as much as you were?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, I still hopefully have many more years left in my career, and there are many goals that I have for myself that I want to accomplish throughout my career. Like a small one for this year was to break into the top 100, and I've already done that, so I'm really happy about that. It's just small steps in the right direction to hopefully achieve the things that I want to be able to achieve, like winning a Grand Slam, and becoming No. 1 one day, so, yeah, I just, I hope that with all the training I do and staying healthy I can get to that point.

Q. You mentioned on court that you've been playing a lot of matches the last two weeks and you, I guess, really love playing here as well, so I guess two parts to it, what do you love so much about playing on these courts, and what do you love about playing in the city of Toronto?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I love the hard-court season, it's one of my favorites. I love this tournament as well. I mean, the center court is amazing, and I really like the site here, as well as the city, it's always a fun time here, so I'm just happy that I get to spend the whole week out here. Yeah, I mean, I love this swing, and also preparing for the US Open, it's always very enjoyable.

Q. Naomi Osaka has had a major role in having more conversations about mental health, and having her back on the tour, what does that mean to someone like yourself who has endured some similar experiences?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I'm super happy to see her back, and it seems like she's doing really, really well. Also, she had a baby, so I'm just so happy to see her accomplish all of that and also come back to the tour, especially at the level that she's playing at, it's honestly very inspiring and just amazing, as well as all the conversations that she starts and opens up.

Yeah, I think that we're all very happy to have her in the WTA, and she's like a huge part of the tennis, and, yeah, just being able to be so honest and vulnerable as she is, it's definitely something very special, and I really look up to her on that.

Q. You're one of five Americans who was in the quarterfinals this week, for the longest time it was Serena and Venus and not many other people sort of at the top echelon. Can you speak to where American tennis is right now?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, American tennis is very strong right now. I play Emma tomorrow, and there are a lot of strong Americans, and it makes me very proud of my country. It is really amazing, and I was saying that yesterday, that it's kind of like annoying sometimes, because I really wanted to play the Olympics this year, but at the end of the day, I mean, I'm really happy for all of them, and they're doing amazing, but, yeah, it does make it very competitive and tough in that aspect.

Q. How do you think your game has evolved from a few years back to where it is now? Do you think you're a different player than you were, obviously you have the power and the aggressive game, but do you think your game has evolved even further now since then?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, for sure, I mean, with every year I think that I improve a lot. I think comparing myself to how I played four years ago, it's like a completely different person. I think I'm physically a lot stronger now, and I anticipate the balls much more. Just the whole fitness side I think has changed, because back then I was, like, a kid, and when you look at me playing, I was like standing so tall, and it just didn't look like ... I don't know, I was performing well, but I'm really happy with the progress that I've made since then.

Yeah, that's just the thing that we, we're always evolving and getting better with each week or each day that comes, so, yeah, I just hope that there's still a lot of room for improvement.

Q. Emma, you played her before, what are you expecting from that matchup, and what are you thinking you really need to do well to be able to succeed against her?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, she's a player who is definitely on fire right now, she's playing some great tennis. I'm sure it will be a tough match tomorrow.

I'm going to talk a little bit with my coach about it, because it's been awhile since I've played her, so, yeah, I mean, I'm going to stick to the basics that I've been doing, and just focusing on myself and, yeah, I'm just looking forward to it.

Q. Can you talk about, after the break, what kind of team you put together, and how does your team help you with your overall success?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, last year I worked with Marc Lucero, who I'm not working with any more, and he was a great addition to my team, I really enjoyed my time working with him. Yeah, he really understood me as a person, so it was really nice having him after my break, I was really looking forward to coming back, so, yeah, he just made it very enjoyable for me.

Now I'm working with someone that I worked with in the past, Rob, my fitness coach, and a new tennis coach, Rick, who, I mean, I really love working with them together, they have really helped me improve in the last couple of months. I started working with them in the grass-court season, and I've really seen my improvement since then.

Yeah, I think, at the end of the day, the most important thing is enjoying the people you work with and trusting them and getting along with them first, and then everything else comes together.