Amanda Anisimova fights off Linda Noskova’s challenge to win China Open
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BEIJING – Amanda Anisimova brushed off a second-set stumble to beat Linda Noskova 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 in the China Open final on Oct 5, winning her second WTA 1000 title.
The 24-year-old Anisimova is the third American to win the China Open, after 2024 champion Coco Gauff and 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams.
“It’s been an incredible few weeks,” Anisimova said, almost exactly one month after reaching the US Open final, where she lost to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka
“I felt a lot of love,” she added, thanking the Beijing crowd for their support in the match lasting one hour and 46 minutes.
“It’s crazy that we made it this far and to get the win today has been very special. I’m excited for a lot more, and hopefully, we can keep going.”
It has been a stellar season for the world No. 4, who won her first WTA 1000 title in Doha in February and also reached the Wimbledon final. This time in 2024, Anisimova was ranked 43rd.
The 20-year-old Czech Noskova said: “I definitely wasn’t coming here feeling like I was gonna play finals, so nice surprise.”
Anisimova collapsed to the hard court in victory, lying on her back and putting her hands over her face.
The American said she endured ongoing foot and calf pain and considered pulling out before the final.
“I’m just really happy that I was able to stick it through and trust myself and my team,” she said.
At the Shanghai Masters, defending champion Jannik Sinner pulled out with a leg injury while trailing Dutch 27th seed Tallon Griekspoor 6-7 (3-7), 7-5, 3-2 in the round of 32.
The Italian world No. 2 began to experience issues in the fourth game of the third set.
Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, said he had been “hanging by a rope” before battling through to the last 16 with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 win over qualifier Yannick Hanfmann on Oct 5.
The 38-year-old Serb is looking to win a record-extending fifth title in Shanghai but was given a mighty scare by the 150th-ranked German.
“I was just outplayed by a better player for a set and a half – I was hanging by a rope to stay in the match,” Djokovic said.
“I had to dig in really, really deep to come out from this match as a winner, and I think the energy and support of the crowd really got me out.”
World No. 4 Taylor Fritz of the United States was not so lucky, becoming the highest-ranked player to be dumped out so far after he fell to 37th-ranked Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 7-5.
“It was tough to be honest, tough conditions, very humid,” said Perricard.
“The game at 5-5 (in the second set), it was terrible. I thought I was dying on the court.”
The Frenchman will next face 11th-ranked Dane Holger Rune, who beat France’s Ugo Humbert, 6-4, 6-4. AFP, REUTERS
