Sixth-ranked Anisimova endures weather delays to advance at Miami Open
Amanda Anisimova first saw herself on an enormous billboard at Times Square in New York City in September 2025, when she had just reached the U.S. Open final and was sponsored by Vita Coco coconut water.
“It was very exciting… Super cool,’’ said Anisimova, the world’s sixth-ranked women’s tennis player who grew up in South Florida, has lived in Miami Beach the past five years and has yet another artistic depiction of herself on a mural this week outside the Miami Open Grandstand at Hard Rock Stadium.
“It’s definitely an honor to see my face and have a brand represent me like that. It definitely keeps me motivated to keep going.’’
On Friday, Anisimova kept going – through three rain delays and two lost match points before finally defeating 81st-ranked Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.
She next meets Yuliia Starodubtseva, who won Friday when No. 30 seed Cristina Bucsa retired mid-match with a medical ailment.
The rain again caused multiple delays throughout the mostly gray, sometimes sunny and unseasonably cool day, in the end postponing at least six matches.
Despite that, Friday drew a tournament single-session attendance record of 17,391.
“It takes a lot of energy from us because we’re in that mindset of being ready to play and on the edge of our nerves,’’ said Anisimova of her three delays – the first that lasted 1 hour 50 minutes, the second that lasted 26 minutes and the third for 46 minutes.
One of the delays began just seconds after Tomljanovic saved the first match point at 6-1, 5-4.
“To be honest, I didn’t remember that I even had a match point with all of the delays,’’ Anisimova said. “It’s not easy, a lot of shifts in the match for sure. …In the end I was getting a bit tired and getting more frustrated than I normally would. But I’m happy with the way I kept refocusing.’’
Tomljanovic said the rainy weather most of the week had been “really annoying’’ and lauded Anisimova for her tough mentality. “Even if she gets rattled she’s straight back into the next point no matter what it looks like.
“I’m 32,’’ Tomljanovic said. “Once I get cold I need to get warm again.”
Anisimova, 24, is making her eighth appearance at Miami, her best result in the round of 16 in 2025, her finest year in tennis. Last year she reached two Grand Slam finals: the U.S. Open and Wimbledon. She also won her first two WTA 1000 titles last year: at Doha and Beijing.
She lost the Wimbledon final against Iga Swiatek and the U.S. Open to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and finished the season at a career-high No. 4.
The daughter of Russian immigrants, Anisimova was born in Freehold Township, New Jersey, moved to South Florida at 3, and lived in Aventura and Sunny Isles before South Beach. She came to the Miami Open at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne “a lot as a kid. It was one of my favorite times of the year.’
“I was a huge fan of Maria [Sharapova] and Serena [Williams], so I got their autographs and was very excited. I loved getting them on a hat, and then I’d wear the hat all year.
“I started my pro career here so there are a lot of special memories and experiences’’
Anisimova said people around South Florida have recognized her more often since her U.S. Open and Wimbledon success.
“It’s nice,’’ she said. “I love having conversations and meeting new people and getting to hear what they have to say because I always cherish those moments.”
Her newest mural is by artist Johann Aven, who said on Instagram that he needed 90 spray cans, 58 colors and six days of work to finish it.
“I saw it,’’ Anisimova said. “They chose me, which is like, ‘Wow, that’s crazy.’ I’m very honored. It’s so cool. I was not expecting that at all.’’
QUINN PULLS OFF UPSET
Ethan Quinn, a 22-year-old Californian who moved to Boca Raton in 2023, saved seven second-set points Friday to upset World No. 12 Casper Ruud of Norway 6-4, 7-6 (9).
“I think it was just being able to close at the net,’’ Quinn, ranked 56th, said of the “X-Factor” that propelled him. “My efficiency up there was really, really high. Serving a really high first-serve percentage [81 percent] makes it a lot easier. I was playing really aggressive tennis and I never let my foot off the gas.
“I think Casper was a little shocked at the start of the match just with how big I was hitting the forehand. I set the tone early and continued to play at that standard the rest of the match.’’
Quinn, down 4-1 in the tiebreaker before rallying, was buoyed by the stadium court crowd that roared with each point by the American.
“It was amazing,’’ Quinn said of the crowd. “I’ve only played in Miami once before. I played quali’s last year on the outdoor courts. It was a lot hotter last year as well. Having this many fans out there, being an American, playing in Florida, living in Boca Raton, it was nice having the whole community out there supporting me.”
ALYCIA PARKS HITTING WITH SERENA
Couldn’t hurt that Alycia Parks, an American ranked 105th, has been hitting lately with all-time great Serena Williams.
Parks, 25, upset 33rd-ranked Maria Sakkari of Greece 6-3, 6-3 Friday.
“The last time I hit with her was last Wednesday in West Palm,’’ said Parks, who added she has been playing with Williams “probably two, three times a week.
“It helps me because I can just get advice from her. I’m kind of similar to her and the stuff that she was messing up on she’s able to tell me.’’
Parks, from Atlanta, said she first met Williams when Parks was 7, and that the two started talking two years ago at the Miami Open.
POSTPONEMENTS
At least six matches were postponed Friday. Check the MiamiOpen.com website for more information.
This story was originally published March 20, 2026 at 10:14 PM.