2024 Australian Open: 'Refreshed' Anisimova reaping rewards after mental health break

In May of 2023, Amanda Anisimova announced she would be taking an indefinite break from professional tennis in order to prioritize her mental health amidst struggles with burnout. The 22-year-old American put her racquets away for four months while she spent time with friends and family and explored her painting hobby, away from the daily grind of the WTA Tour.

In September, the former Top 25 star began training again with an eye on returning to the Australian Open, where she has twice reached the fourth round. Now that she has made it to Melbourne, Anisimova is reaping the rewards of her time away and that extended preseason.

Two weeks after picking up a win in Auckland in her first match back, Anisimova was handed a tough draw at the year's first Grand Slam: an opening test against 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova. Back on the Grand Slam stage for the first time since last year in Melbourne, Anisimova dazzled in a 6-3, 6-4 victory, battling back from a break down in both sets and winning the final five games of the contest to surge through the finish line.

Asked about the importance of that statement win so early in her comeback, her stoic answer showcased a new perspective.

"Of course, I'm happy with the win, but I expect a lot out of myself. Win or lose, I don't think it would really matter to me. If I lost, then I would just go back to training," she said in her post-match press conference.

"I'm just here for the journey right now and seeing how much I can progress. I think I would take it with whatever outcome I would get. But I am happy with the wins, and I really hope that I can build on from it."

To ease the burden of the time away from home, Anisimova is staying with her good friend and fellow WTA player Priscilla Hon in an apartment near Melbourne Park, preferring that setting to a hotel. If her early Australian Open results are any indication, the American's stay could be an extended one.

After beating Samsonova on Sunday, Anisimova scored another dominant win, 6-2, 6-3, on Wednesday against Argentina's Nadia Podoroska. That set up a third-round showdown with Spain's Paula Badosa, who reached a career-high WTA ranking of No. 2 in 2022.

Badosa has since dropped to No. 100 after an injury-plagued 2023 season. But, like Anisimova, she has not dropped a set en route to the Australian Open third round. The same could be said for defending champion Sabalenka, who looms as a potential fourth-round opponent.