Three things Amanda Anisimova must improve to become world No. 1

Amanda Anisimova made outstanding progress during a career-best 2025 season, but she needs to make further enhancements to become the WTA world No. 1.

Anisimova reached her maiden Grand Slam finals at this year's Wimbledon Championships and the US Open, and won her first WTA 1000 titles at the Qatar Open and the China Open. Those achievements qualified the American for the WTA Finals.

Despite how impressive those feats are, they do not mean Anisimova will inevitably reach No. 1. This article describes three improvements needed for that to be possible.

Fans worldwide stood up and took notice when Anisimova defeated Aryna Sabalenka in their thrilling Wimbledon semifinal. It was a fiery affair, and the Belarusian admitted she was angered by her opponent's behavior.

Rather than building on that level, Anisimova spectacularly collapsed in the final against Iga Swiatek. For the first time since 1911, the women's singles final at SW19 ended 6-0, 6-0 after the Pole ruthlessly took advantage of her opponent's mistakes.

Swiatek recently reflected on that experience, saying she was proud to have coped with the experience despite feeling nervous beforehand. By contrast, Anisimova was burdened by the occasion, creating an almost uncomfortably one-sided spectacle.

The 24-year-old performed better in the US Open final against Aryna Sabalenka in a 3-6, 6-7 defeat. However, she was still not at her very best and became noticeably tense in the second set tiebreak.

Anisimova is an emotional player who sometimes screams after misses and takes deep breaths before big points. She has used those emotions positively during much of 2025, including winning 13 consecutive matches that went to a deciding set.

That impressive statistic, along with her two WTA 1000 titles, shows Anisimova handled pressure everywhere except in Grand Slam finals. Nonetheless, the powerful American still needs to prove herself in Major finals.

What likely exacerbated Anisimova's problems in the Wimbledon final was her movement compared to Swiatek's. The six-time Grand Slam champion is one of the fastest players ever to compete in women's tennis.

When nervous and uncomfortable, some players engage in lengthy baseline rallies to find some rhythm. Unfortunately for Anisimova, her reliance on overwhelming power and much inferior speed around the court compared to Swiatek meant she could not do that.

The pressure to hit her way out of trouble proved too much for Anisimova. Feeling rushed on her shots can be a problem in other matches as well, since she moves more slowly than most other WTA opponents.

That will continue if Anisimova's movement does not improve. The two-time Grand Slam runner-up cannot rely on hitting more powerfully than her opponent to win every match, since days when she is below her best are inevitable.

Young WTA stars being so quick means life might become even more problematic for Anisimova without getting better in that area. Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, Victoria Mboko, and Alexandra Eala are players aged 21 and younger who move fantastically.

Anisimova is the most formidable baseline ball-striker in women's tennis. She is the only player who can consistently outhit Sabalenka from the back of the court. Elena Rybakina comes close, but she can only beat the world No. 1 by also serving well.

Despite having the ability to bully Sabalenka with her groundstrokes like no one else can, the Belarusian responded to her defeat at Wimbledon by overcoming Anisimova in the US Open final and WTA Finals semifinal.

Sabalenka serving well in pivotal moments was an important part of those successes. However, the four-time Major winner's use of variety, something she added to her game in recent years, also proved crucial.

The 2024 and 2025 year-end No. 1 won important points by using the slice and hitting with more angle and spin. That successfully disrupted Anisimova's rhythm several times, leading to unforced errors.

While Anisimova's improvements have been substantial and she and her team deserve considerable credit for them, it is fair to say this year's Qatar Open winner has not added any variety in the past 12 months.

Now established as one of the world's best players, Anisimova's rivals will have plans for dealing with her powerful groundstrokes. Surprising them by adding slices and drop shots would be a great addition to her arsenal.