Fresh off her stunning victory over Coco Gauff in the semifinals, Amanda Anisimova could hardly hide her own amazement at the level she produced in Beijing. “I’m very excited to get into the final. I played a great match, all my shots worked,” she said. And now, as the 24-year-old marches into the WTA 1000 Beijing 2025 finals, she expressed her aspirations of taking on more difficult challenges. Yet the story carried an unexpected twist, as she later shared a surgery update that only amplified the grit behind her run. 

Post her semi-finals victory, the American confessed in an interview, “I didn’t expect to do so well here, after weeks of inactivity,” as it was her first appearance on the court in China after the US Open (that concluded last month). Later, Anisimova also revealed that the very day she flew to Beijing, she had to have a wisdom tooth extracted, which could have easily affected her performance. “Also, on the same day I was flying to Beijing, I had to remove a wisdom tooth,” she added.

Following her surgery, she felt nervous about her China Open run, and pondered if “is it a mistake I’m flying there? Everything was just off to a bad start.” However, she has had an amazing run since the first round.

Then, in semi-finals against Gauff, it took Anisimova only 58 minutes to assert her dominance and secure the 6-1, 6-2 victory. Expressing her optimistic mindset that she carried in the tournament, Anisimova stated, “When I don’t feel in the best possible physical shape, I play more liberated because I take the pressure off. I’m surprising myself, I feel like I’m improving a lot as a tennis player. The achievements I have achieved this year are the result of the hard work I have done and I want to finish the season in the best possible way. It’s not easy, because the year is very long, but I’m very confident.”

Once halted by injuries and pauses in rhythm, she now carries the maturity of a player who thrives in chaos rather than fears it. Beijing has become her proving ground, where physical strain and mental strength have fused into a fearless force. Her comeback began after stepping away from the grind of the Asian swing post-US Open due to an ankle injury. 

Now, after the heartbreak of her US Open final loss to Aryna Sabalenka, she stands again at the brink. Facing Linda Nosková in Beijing, Anisimova not only chases another crown but continues her transformation into the fearless titan.

Amanda Anisimova reflects on crowd support after semifinal win

Amanda Anisimova’s semifinal triumph in Beijing was nothing short of ruthless. She lost just five points on her first serve and tore through the opening five games in a display of supreme control. For Coco Gauff, it was uncharted territory; her only previous defeat on Beijing’s main court had come against Iga Swiatek in the 2023 semifinals, and once again, the stage proved cruel.

From the start, Gauff struggled to settle. Her serve betrayed her with five double faults, while her groundstrokes flew long or crashed into the net. What was billed as a heavyweight clash quickly became one-way traffic. Anisimova seized the moment, improving her career head-to-head with Gauff to 2-1.

Yet beyond the numbers, Anisimova pointed to something deeper: the embrace of Beijing’s crowd. “I love playing here,” she admitted. “The crowd support has been so amazing since the first day that I got here, and I really think that’s carried me through this entire tournament. So hopefully everyone can come out and support me again in the final.”

Her victory also carved her name into history. She became only the third American to reach the China Open women’s singles final, joining Serena Williams (2004, 2013) and Gauff (2024). Even more telling, she is the lone player this season to defeat Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Gauff, a hat-trick of scalps that screams authority.

Now the stage sharpens to its last act. Against 20-year-old Linda Nosková, the question burns: can Anisimova’s fire carry her all the way? The tennis world waits.