The WTA Finals are in full swing, and it looks like the American contingent is facing the heat early on. Coming into the tournament, the US athletes enjoyed a significant numerical supremacy, with 4 Americans out of the 8-woman field. But so far, American women have had a tough time of it with Madison Keys losing her opener to Iga Swiatek, and now match number two going the wrong way.

Making her debut this year in the WTA Finals, Amanda Anisimova has a lot to prove. Unfortunately, going face-to-face with Elena Ryabakina, Anisimova’s dreams of a first win came crashing down. As the game progressed, it was evident that Rybakina looked the superior force among the two. Ultimately the Wimbledon and US Open finalist crumbled under pressure. Anisimova lasted just 57 minutes as Ryabakina demolished the American 6-3, 6-1 in Riyadh, picking up right where she left off in Ningbo.

Surely, looking at both the players, it was evident that the Kazakh star was more fluid right from the start. Ryabakina dropped just 4 points on her first serve as she went on to hit a whopping 7 aces to seal the deal. Her strong corner-to-corner play made it difficult for Anisimova to catch up. And this victory will surely boost the morale of the Kazakh star significantly. After all, she had a tumultuous campaign and was the last one to qualify for Riyadh. But since her impeccable performance in the Asian Swing, the 26-year-old has gone on to register 7 back-to-back victories. 

This is a developing story…