No one knows resilience quite like Amanda Anisimova. When she took a break from the tour, it looked like the world had seen the last of her best tennis. But slowly, quietly, the comeback began brewing last year. And this year, started strong with a win in Doha. Things took a sharp turn at Wimbledon. The American suffered one of the toughest defeats in recent memory, falling 6-0, 6-0 to Iga Swiatek in the final. It could have broken anyone’s spirit. But not hers. That loss became the fuel for her most satisfying redemption at the US Open, where she stunned the Pole 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals. Even though she fell short in the US Open final by just a few inches, the American left New York with a renewed sense of purpose. She didn’t dwell on what could have been. Instead, she looked ahead to the Chinese capital, where opportunity was waiting.

And this time, Anisimova made it count. At the China Open in Beijing, she produced another chapter in her comeback story, this one with a trophy at the end. After storming through the opening set with a bagel, she faced a fierce fightback from Linda Noskova before sealing a 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 win in one hour and forty-six minutes. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, but Anisimova held firm when it mattered most. With this victory, she’s now ahead of Coco Gauff in the rankings, becoming the new World No. 3 when the updated list drops on Monday. That’s an extraordinary jump from where she began the year, sitting all the way down at No. 36. And cherry on top, this ranking jump is even more special as it comes after defeating Gauff in a dominant semifinal. She needed just 58 minutes to storm past Gauff  6-1, 6-2.

When the final point was done and the title was hers, Amanda Anisimova looked overwhelmed but also deeply grateful. Her post-match speech said it all. “To my team over there, wow.. what a 2 weeks it’s been. We’ve had a lot o challenges. Despite that we also still have so much fun and work very hard. It’s crazy that we made it this far and to get the win today has been really special. Thanks for sharing that with me. You guys are the best. I’m excited for a lot more. Hopefully we can keep going. To my family back home, I’m sure they’re watching right now. I’m excited to talk to you guys and see you soon. I love you,” said the 24-year-old.

Then came the sweetest ending. She smiled, looked into the camera, and gave a special shoutout to her nephews.  The new No.3  said, “I’m done. But my nephews who I think might be watching… I just wanna say hi Jackson and Kylo… I love you guys. Ok that’s the last thing.” It was a small gesture, but it showed how grounded she’s remained through all the highs and lows.

And even the China Open wasn’t without its problems.

Amanda Anisimova reveals going through painful surgery before China Open

Amanda Anisimova arrived at the China Open as the third seed, but doubts lingered about what level she could show. Her challenges began before she even stepped on court. On the very day she flew to Beijing, she had a wisdom tooth extracted.

Speaking after her commanding semi-final win over Coco Gauff, she admitted the start had been anything but smooth: “It’s actually pretty surprising because I feel like I took too much time off after US Open. I learned from that because I didn’t really feel like I was match-fit ahead of the tournament. Had to take my wisdom tooth out the day that I flew. I was like, ‘Oh, is it a mistake I’m flying there?’ Everything was just off to a bad start.”

From heartbreak to happiness, Anisimova’s journey over the last year feels like a story only sport can write. The setbacks didn’t define her. The way she responded did. And now, standing tall at No. 3 in the world, Amanda Anisimova isn’t just back. She’s arrived.