Amanda Anisimova's hopes of reaching a second WTA 1000 final of 2024 are over after she withdrew from the Wuhan Open with an injury.
It has been over five years since Anisimova burst onto the scene by reaching the 2019 French Open semifinal. She also came close to making the final, with Ash Barty needing three sets to beat Anisimova.
Becoming a worldwide name is not easy for such a young player. Understandably, the five years that have followed her run in Paris have not always been perfect, with some setbacks.
The stresses of professional tennis weighed on Anisimova, impacting her mental health. She announced an indefinite break from the sport in May 2023, which lasted until the end of that year.
After making her return at the ASB Classic in Auckland, Anisimova reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in her first Grand Slam appearance of her comeback, including an impressive victory against Paula Badosa in the third round.
However, a combination of injury issues and a loss of form stalled her progress afterward. It seemed like Anisimova's year may peter out after she was unable to get through the qualifying stages of Wimbledon.
However, Anisimova roared back during the North American hardcourt season. She started with a solid run to the quarterfinal of the Citi Open in Washington, claiming wins against Sloane Stephens and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
That was followed by the most impressive week of Anisimova's career at the Canadian Open. After winning three matches to reach the quarterfinal, she stunned Aryna Sabalenka to make the semifinal.
Anisimova then defeated Emma Navarro to progress to her maiden WTA-1000 final. Jessica Pegula played a superb final set to beat her compatriot in the final, but it was still a tournament to remember for Anisimova.
The American has been unfortunate since then. She ran into the Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng at the US Open and the China Open, and she had to retire from her match at the Korea Open due to a physical issue.
Injuries have been a recurring issue for Anisimova despite her being just 23 years old. That means she tends to be cautious when she has any kind of physical issue, which is a sensible approach.
Hopefully, Anisimova's withdrawal from the Wuhan Open is being done as a precaution. She felt unable to play her round-of-32 match against Marta Kostyuk because of a left hip injury.
It was a shame for the fans since Anisimova's battle with Kostyuk promised to be a great match. The two possess contrasting styles, and that dynamic often creates the most memorable contests.
Kostyuk may have been relieved by Anisimova's withdrawal. Her victory in the last round against Elina Avanesyan was a brutal battle that went to a final-set tiebreak, and the Ukrainian would not have had a day's rest.
Further details about Anisimova's injury have not been given. At this late stage of the year, she may decide to end her season and prepare for 2025, but it is impossible to know for sure yet.