Amanda Anisimova unleashed a devastating serve, firing 20 aces to overpower fellow American Sofia Kenin 6-2, 6-4 and book her place in the third round of Wimbledon on Thursday.
Dominant serving display
The 24-year-old, who reached the semi-finals here in 2019, was in imperious form on Centre Court, winning 85% of points on her first serve. Her 20 aces were the most by any woman in a singles match at this year's Championships so far. Anisimova did not face a single break point in the entire match.
Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, struggled to find any rhythm against the barrage of powerful serves and groundstrokes. She managed only one winner in the first set as Anisimova raced through it in 25 minutes.
Channelling Serena
After the match, Anisimova revealed she had been inspired by watching highlights of Serena Williams. “I was just trying to channel my inner Serena out there,” she said. “She’s the greatest of all time, and I wanted to bring that intensity and power to my game today. It worked.”
Next opponent
Anisimova will face 12th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the third round. The Brazilian advanced after defeating Czech qualifier Linda Fruhvirtova 7-5, 6-2. Anisimova leads their head-to-head 2-1, including a win on grass at Eastbourne last month.
“I know Beatriz is a tough opponent, especially on grass,” Anisimova added. “But if I serve like this, I feel I can beat anyone.”
