Anisimova halts Badosa's comeback at Australian Open

MELBOURNE: A rejuvenated Amanda Anisimova ended former world number two Paula Badosa’s injury comeback Friday at the Australian Open, admitting she could not believe how well she was playing after a long break.

The former teen prodigy, returning from eight months on the sidelines due to burnout and mental health issues, ground past the Spaniard 7-5, 6-4 to sweep into a fourth-round clash with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.

Anisimova halts Badosa’s comeback at Australian Open

“It’s quite unbelievable after taking some time off, but I’m really feeling good,” said the 22-year-old, who reached the semifinals at Roland Garros and won her first WTA title at age 17, sparking sky-high expectations.

“The most important thing is I’m enjoying my time out here.

“Taking a step away and just really being at home, just resetting myself, it just gave me a different perspective going into these tournaments and I’m really trying to be present when I am here and enjoy every second.”

When Anisimova stepped away from the sport, she wrote on Instagram that it had become “unbearable being at tennis tournaments.”

“At this point, my priority is my mental wellbeing and taking a break for some time. I’ve worked as hard as I could to push through it,” she said.

Now, back and refreshed, she rallied from 4-1 down in the first set before breaking Badosa in the seventh game of the second set to power home.

“The first set took a lot out of me. It was a very tough tie, Paula is a tough competitor and I had to really dig deep there,” she said.

Badosa missed the second half of 2023 with a stress fracture of the back.

But the 26-year-old, girlfriend of men’s world number seven Stefanos Tsitsipas, said ahead of the Australian Open she was much better and determined to recapture her best form.

Sabalenka, meanwhile, demolished 28th seed Lesia Tsurenko 6-0, 6-0 to surge into the fourth round with the loss of just six games in the tournament so far.

The Belarusian second seed, who won her maiden Grand Slam crown in Melbourne last year, is seeking to become the first woman to retain her title since compatriot Victoria Azarenka completed the feat in 2013.

Sabalenka, wearing vivid red, bristled with intent from the start against the Ukrainian on Rod Laver Arena, cantering home in just 52 minutes.

“Last year (world number one) Iga (Swiatek) won so many sets 6-0 and this is one of the goals,” she said. “I’m trying to get closer to her.

“I’m super happy with the level I’m playing at so far and hopefully I can keep going like that or even better.”

Tsurenko, who started the match with a 1-1 record against her opponent, this time had no answer to her devastating power and could muster only a paltry 11 points in the first set compared with 27 for Sabalenka.

It was a similar story in the second set.

Tsurenko had two points to get on the board in the second game on her own serve but Sabalenka slammed the door shut to break again.

She did not let up, smashing 10 winners past her hapless opponent in the set, sealing victory by breaking for the third time when Tsurenko dumped a forehand into the net.