Australian Open: Amanda Anisimova powers past Wang; next clash set with Pegula

Amanda Anisimova advanced to the Australian Open quarter-finals on Monday, defeating China’s unseeded Wang Xinyu 7-6(4), 6-4 at John Cain Arena. The fourth-seeded American will now face compatriot Jessica Pegula for a spot in her first semi-final at Melbourne Park.

Anisimova, who reached two Grand Slam finals in 2025, showed poise in sweltering conditions, breaking through at crucial moments to secure the straight-sets victory. Pegula, the sixth seed, booked her quarter-final berth by overcoming defending champion Madison Keys in straight sets. The upcoming Anisimova-Pegula encounter marks their fourth meeting, with Pegula holding a 3-0 head-to-head advantage.

“I’m feeling great. It was a tough battle today in challenging conditions against a strong opponent,” Anisimova said after the match. “There were a lot of fans from China, and honestly, the atmosphere was amazing. I don’t find it disrespectful at all – they just make it loud and fun.”

The match remained tightly contested early on, with both players holding serve until Anisimova converted her first break point at 3-2 in the opening set. Wang fought back to even the score, pushing the set into a tense tiebreak. Anisimova then dominated the breaker with aggressive groundstrokes, clinching the first set.

Set two saw multiple early breaks, with Anisimova claiming two before Wang took a medical timeout, strapping her upper right leg. Despite returning to the court, Wang was unable to mount a comeback, and Anisimova sealed the match with a commanding ace.

Following a breakout 2025 season that included finals appearances at Wimbledon and the US Open, Anisimova now eyes a potential semi-final showdown with world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, should she get past Pegula.