Amanda Anisimova Returns Strong at US Open 2025 Opening Match

Amanda Anisimova US Open 2025 campaign begins against Kimberly Birrell in a highly anticipated first-round clash.

Arun UpadhayayAugust 26, 2025

14,884 3 minutes read

New York, August 26 EST: Amanda Anisimova walked into Arthur Ashe Stadium today with the kind of weight you can’t measure in rankings or seedings. This isn’t just a first-round match at the U.S. Open. It’s a reckoning with the past, with the doubts, with the noise that once nearly pushed her out of the game.

The Long Crawl Back

A couple of years ago, Anisimova was gone. Not injured, not suspended gone in the way only tennis can chew you up and spit you out. She left because the joy was gone, because life outside the lines had broken her down. And in a sport that moves mercilessly fast, you half-expected her name to fade into trivia.

Except it didn’t. Somehow, the 23-year-old turned the wheel around. Therapy, breathing room, a decision to stop running from the pressure it all came together. And here she is, as if she’d been holding her breath and just now remembered how to exhale.

As she told Sports Illustrated this week, even she’s surprised,“I am at a career high and have achieved things I didn’t previously achieve in my career, and it’s all happened within a year.” That’s not the voice of a prodigy anymore. That’s the voice of someone who has seen the edge and chosen to come back anyway.

Today’s Test Birrell

On the schedule Kimberly Birrell, a scrapper from Australia. No history between them. No scars. Just two women trying to punch a ticket into the next round.

The numbers tilt Amanda’s way 14–8 on hard courts this year, nearly a 62 percent career win rate. But numbers don’t feel the sweat rolling down your wristband, or the sting of a double fault on Ashe with 20,000 people groaning. That’s the difference. The math disappears once the ball is tossed.

Still, let’s be blunt if Anisimova’s forehand locks in, Birrell will be left chasing shadows. The stroke is violent and pure, the kind of shot that makes the crowd gasp before the ball even lands. If she finds her groove, this match could tilt fast.

Wimbledon Wasn’t The End

We have to talk about Wimbledon. That final wasn’t just a loss. It was a heartbreak, a throw-your-towel-in-the-locker moment. But it also proved something she can survive the storm of the second week at a Slam again. The kid who once couldn’t carry the weight of expectation? She’s older, stronger, sharper.

This U.S. Open isn’t just a chance to win matches. It’s a chance to cement a narrative that Anisimova belongs back in the conversation with Świątek and Gauff, that she’s not some cautionary tale, but a threat.

Beyond New York

Even if this run ends early, she’s already lined up for the Korea Open, where she’ll share the draw with Świątek. That’s not filler tennis. That’s the kind of event where you test whether momentum can stretch across continents.

And make no mistake, the locker room notices. Players talk. They know when someone has rediscovered their bite, and Anisimova’s bite is back.

The Point Of It All

Here’s the truth Amanda Anisimova doesn’t have to win the U.S. Open this year to make it a success. The victory is in showing up, with her racquet in her hand and her head high. The victory is that the roar in Ashe is for her again, not just for what she was supposed to be, but for who she is now.

If she wins tonight, great. If she makes a deep run, even better. But the fact that she’s back, fighting, sweating, cracking forehands under the lights? That’s the kind of comeback you don’t script. You just let it happen, and you let it breathe.

Because some wins don’t need trophies. They just need belief. And tonight in New York, Amanda Anisimova has it.

New Jersey Times Is Your Source: The Latest In Politics, Entertainment, Business, Breaking News, And Other News. Please Follow Us On Facebook, Instagram, And Twitter To Receive Instantaneous Updates. Also Do Checkout Our Telegram Channel @Njtdotcom For Latest Updates.

Arun Upadhayay

Website | + posts

A former college-level cricketer and lifelong sports enthusiast, Arun Upadhayay brings the heart of an athlete to the sharp eye of a journalist. With firsthand experience in competitive sports and a deep understanding of team dynamics, Arun covers everything from grassroots tournaments to high-stakes international showdowns. His reporting blends field-level grit with analytical precision, making him a trusted voice for sports fans across New Jersey and beyond.

Amanda Anisimova Returns Strong at US Open 2025 Opening Match