QATAR TOTAL ENERGIES OPEN

February 15, 2025

Amanda Anisimova

Press Conference

A. ANISIMOVA/J. Ostapenko

6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Amanda, a Doha champion. How does that feel?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, it feels amazing. It's been such an incredible week here. I think every match has been very tough. I'm just super happy with my performances and my level here, and to be able to get my first 1000 title is really special to me.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Do you have a dedication for this victory, or a gift you want to give yourself?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: A vacation? Sorry?

Q. A dedication.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I don't understand your question, I'm sorry.

Q. If you have a dedication for this victory, or a gift that you want to do to yourself.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I don't think I've thought about that. Honestly, I think just celebrating with my team, and with my family when I come back home. I haven't seen them in like two months, so it will be very special for me to come back and see everyone, and, yeah, just celebrate with them, so I'm looking forward to that.

Q. You played almost a whole tournament against better-ranked players, how do you make it?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I've played against some very high-level, top-ranked players this week. Each match has been very difficult, so I'm just really happy with the level I've been able to bring with each match, and the focus also.

There have been a lot of important games with a lot of break points, and I think that I managed all those critical moments very well. I think being able to do that is what really helped me this week.

Q. Yesterday you talked about how hard you are training the end of the last year, the off-season. So physically it has been kind of tough week for you, but what kind of things do you think paid off the most, like physical training, physical strength, or mental toughness, or which one do you think it is?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I think I did a lot of hard work in the pre-season, for sure, that has probably been paying off this week. As I said, I didn't spend too much time on the court and training the few weeks prior to this, so I spent a lot of time actually working on my mental side because that's really all I was able to do. I think that really helped pay off because I really kept my composure this week and stayed tough in a lot of challenging moments. So I think both, yeah, the mental side and also all the physical hours that I was able to put in when I was healthy have really paid off, but I think it's definitely a combination of the two.

Q. You played very solid during all the week, but your backhand was very impressive. Is that the weapon which you built your game on?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I think that I've been able to really execute well from my backhand side, but also I've been working a lot on my forehand, which I think that I've also had a lot of winners on. I think I'm really trying to develop my game as a whole, try to come into the net more, and use my serve to my advantage. I think my whole game is actually coming together, and, yes, I still try to go for my backhand line when I can (laughing).

Q. In the Australian Open, Madison Keys, your country fellow, won her maiden Grand Slam title, and last year, two years ago, Coco also she won the US Open. Did that kind of, you know, achievement give you some extra motivation or belief in yourself?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, I'm super happy for Madison. As an American player, for her to win the Australian Open is super special, so I'm happy she took it home for the country. It was an incredible week for her. She played some amazing tennis. Yeah, I was just super happy for her.

Q. There was a lot of talk last year about Big-3 in ladies tennis, Sabalenka, Swiatek, maybe Coco Gauff, maybe Rybakina. Do you think that exists? You won here, Madison won in Melbourne.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I'm sorry, Madison?

Q. Madison Keys won in Melbourne, you won here, do you think that Big-3 in ladies tennis exists?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Honestly, I think with the tour right now, everyone plays a very physical game. There's a lot of different winners I think on the tour, so I think anyone can bring the level up and show their performances and their game. There's so many good players out there right now, so I don't think that tying it to only three players is fair.

Q. You took the first set, and then at one point the second set was kind of tightly contested, but retrospectively you won it quite comfortably. What was the feeling like in your mind when it was going sort of neck to neck, and how did you deal with it?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, it was actually quite stressful, especially with the rain, at 3-All. I was trying to stay focused. There's not much that either of us could do with the conditions. But, yeah, I think that game was super important, and I'm happy that it went my way because, as you said, it was a very challenging moment in the match.

The whole second set was pretty tough, especially in the beginning, so I'm just happy that I was able to execute it and not let it go to three sets.