Amanda Anisimova claimed a hard-fought victory over Dalma Galfi on Friday to reach the fourth round of the Wimbledon Championships. The American player revealed that a crowd habit unique to the English venue distracted her during her intense third-round match, affecting her concentration.
Before this match, Anisimova had displayed flawless form, winning her opening rounds without conceding a set. In the third round against Galfi, the 13th seed began strongly by taking the first set 6-3. However, the Hungarian opponent fought back steadily, claiming the second set 7-5 and forcing a deciding set. Ultimately, Anisimova prevailed 6-3 in the final set.
After the match, the 23-year-old spoke about the challenge posed by the popping of champagne corks in the stadium, which momentarily disrupted her focus. She stated,
“At some point, I was, like, can everybody just do it on the changeover? It was definitely a bit distracting. Then again, I have to just adjust, try and focus as much as I can. But, yeah, it can be a little loud when people are doing their external things, but I love the atmosphere and the energy and the crowd supporting me, so it’s been good.” —Amanda Anisimova
With this win, Anisimova is now just one victory away from matching her best performance at Wimbledon, which was reaching the quarterfinals in 2022.
Recap of Anisimova’s Journey through Wimbledon’s Early Rounds
Amanda Anisimova began her Wimbledon run emphatically, shutting out Yulia Putintseva 6-0, 6-0 in the first round. She then continued her dominant form by defeating Mexico’s Renata Zarazua 6-4, 6-3 in the second round.
Though ranked nearly a hundred places above Dalma Galfi, Anisimova faced a significantly tougher test in the third round. After advancing, she reflected during an on-court interview,
“Yeah, it was an incredibly tough match. Um I think that yeah, I just kept fighting and she was playing some amazing tennis and yeah, I mean I think that the quality for me wasn’t great today, but I’m going to hit the practice courts tomorrow and I’m just super excited to be in the round of 16 and yeah, thank you everyone for the support. It was amazing.” —Amanda Anisimova
What Lies Ahead for Anisimova at Wimbledon
Anisimova’s next opponent will be Linda Noskova in the round of 16. The two have previously faced off at the 2023 Indian Wells Masters, where Noskova claimed the win with a 7-6(6), 6-3 scoreline. This upcoming match offers Anisimova a chance to overturn that earlier result and push deeper into the tournament.
The American’s ability to adapt amid distractions at the Wimbledon stadium and her determination to improve in practice highlight her focus and resilience as she seeks to match or surpass last year’s quarterfinal finish. Her journey thus far underscores her persistence and readiness to face increasing challenges as the competition intensifies.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Why did Amanda Anisimova take a break?
A. When she was deeply depressed, overwhelmed by the intense demands of tennis, the 23-year-old decided to take a complete break from the game two years ago.