Just a few months ago, Canadian star Bianca Andreescu was spotted dropping a three-word reaction, “Brunette szn ouuuuu,” after seeing her friend and fellow competitor, Amanda Anisimova’s new brunette hairdo. However, now it’s perhaps time to keep that camaraderie aside for a few hours as they are all set to take on each other in the first round of the Grass Court Championships in Berlin. Both these players have struggled with injuries and health issues this season.

For example, Andreescu had missed the first three months of the 2025 season due to illness and a few injury concerns. On the other hand, Anisimova already had to hand three walkovers to her opponents this season. So, both these players will be keen to get some wins in their bags before taking their flight to London for the Wimbledon Championships. Can Andreescu topple the in-form American?

Amanda Anisimova vs Bianca Andreescu: Preview

Amanda Anisimova has been in good form this year, and she has already tasted a title triumph at the Qatar Open earlier this year. Following that, although she reached the semifinal of the Charleston Open, her goal to reach yet another final was cut short due to an injury. Sofia Kenin was handed a ticket to the final. Following that, the clay court season didn’t go as per her plans, but she has started the grass-court swing on a positive note by making it to the final at the HSBC Championships. However, in the final, she was surprisingly defeated by the 37-year-old German, Tatjana Maria, by 3-6, 4-6. Can Anisimova make a strong comeback from that defeat and start off her campaign on a positive note in Berlin?

Time will tell! But after seeing her impressive performances in the last few months, American legend Andy Roddick has already named Amanda Anisimova as the dark horse at the Wimbledon Championships this year. “Watch out for Anisimova too… if she gets hot, she can beat anyone in the world.“

So, there is a lot of hope surrounding the American at the grass-court major this season. But before she needs to first overcome the challenge from the Canadian in Berlin. Bianca Andreescu hasn’t played much this season. Her best record in his season was reaching the R16 at the Italian Open and then making it to the quarterfinal at the Libema Open. She was defeated by Belgium’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse in that quarterfinal match by 2-6,4-6. So, both Anisimova and Andreescu will be entering this match following a defeat in their previous match. Who has the real edge in this epic battle, though?

Anisimova vs Andreescu: Head-to-Head

Both these players have met each other only once in their careers before. Following that hard-fought 2 hours and 44 minutes battle, Andreescu said, “It’s hard playing a player that – she’s super erratic. She just slaps every ball, but she slaps it very well. I don’t want to say that in a bad way. But she’s a really good player.” The Canadian had the last laugh that time, so their H2H record is at 1-0 in favor of Bianca Andreescu. Can Amanda Anisimova get the better of the former world number 4 in her next meeting?

• 2021 Miami Open R32: Andreescu 7-6(4), 6(2)-7, 6-4.

Prediction: Anisimova to win this match in straight sets

Amanda Anisimova is in red-hot form at the moment. Although he had lost the final against Maria, I believe that defeat will reignite her spirits to come up with a better performance in Berlin. She is currently ranked 13th in the world and has a win-loss record of 23-11 this season, with 4-1 on grass. For the number 148, Bianca Andreescu, it’s 7-6, with 2-1 on grass courts in 2025. Both these players possess big groundstrokes, which can push their opponents further on the back foot. 

Dictating the rallies and not letting the opponent get on the front foot will be the key to success in this match. Andreescu loves combining power with a bit of variation. Her aggressive all-court game with a venomous forehand and deceptive drop shots can make things a bit tricky for the American in this match. Other than that, Bianca Andreescu is also known for her mental toughness and incredible tactical acumen.

However, Amanda Anisimov has a special affinity for grass, and she’s known for her aggressive baseline game, particularly her powerful two-handed backhand and her strong return of the serve. She can hit winners from both wings. But her biggest concern this season is her serves. Anisimova has hit 91 aces this season but has committed 140 double faults! Keeping things tidy will be the real challenge for the American here, and if she does that, then we could see this match end within the blink of an eye. Looking at her superior form, I’m keeping Anisimova ahead in this match.