Amanda Anisimova advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open by beating fellow American Peyton Stearns 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday in Melbourne. The match, played under scorching heat, lasted 1 hour and 11 minutes at Margaret Court Arena. Anisimova remains undefeated in sets this tournament.
Amanda Anisimova secured her place in the Australian Open fourth round for the second straight year, defeating compatriot Peyton Stearns 6-1, 6-4 in a brisk 1 hour and 11 minutes on Saturday afternoon at Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne. The match unfolded on one of the tournament's hottest days, with temperatures around 95 degrees Fahrenheit and expected to exceed 100 later.
Anisimova, the World No. 4, started strongly by saving a break point in the opening game before breaking Stearns for a 2-0 lead. She added another break to reach 5-1 and served out the first set in just over 30 minutes. In the second set, Anisimova built a 5-2 advantage, but Stearns mounted a comeback, breaking back and saving a match point to make it 5-4. Ultimately, Anisimova closed it out with a forehand winner after Stearns saved another match point.
"I was just really trying to stay focused, try and do the things that I wanted to do, focus on my serve," Anisimova said post-match. "I made quite a few mistakes when I was up 5-2. Yeah, I was just trying to regroup, do what I could to close it out, because obviously playing her, it wasn't going to be easy."
The Florida native credited her preparation for handling the heat: "Just staying hydrated the day before, the day of is really important. Ice baths. We always try and prepare as best as we can."
This victory marks Anisimova's fourth Round of 16 appearance in Melbourne and her first win over Stearns on the WTA Tour. She has not dropped a set this week. Notably, the heat influenced play, with no rally exceeding nine shots across more than 100 points. Anisimova finished with 14 winners to Stearns' six, though she committed 30 unforced errors compared to 14.
Next, Anisimova faces Wang Xinyu, whom she has never played, in the fourth round.
