Amanda Anisimova swept past China's unseeded Wang Xinyu into the Australian Open quarterfinals on Monday and a showdown with fellow American Jessica Pegula.
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The fourth seed, who contested two Grand Slam finals last year, kept her cool as temperatures soared to down Wang 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 on John Cain Arena.
FIRST AO QF 🙌 pic.twitter.com/VcQcmLOWTb
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2026
She will play Pegula for a place in her first Melbourne Park semifinal after the 31-year-old disposed of defending champion Madison Keys in straight sets.
Anisimova and Pegula have met three times before, with the sixth seed winning them all.
A first EVER Australian Open QF for Amanda Anisimova 👏
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2026
She ends Wang's run 7-6 [4] 6-4@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/F9cO75ton5
"I'm feeling great. I mean, what a battle out there today. Tough conditions again, against a really good opponent. I've never played her before, she's playing some great tennis," said Anisimova.
"There were a lot of fans from China today, but honestly, it made the atmosphere so great. I don't find it disrespectful at all.
"They're just very loud, so they make the energy really fun."
Anisimova enjoyed a breakout year in 2025, reaching finals at Wimbledon and the US Open, losing to Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka respectively.
Should she get past Pegula, Swiatek is a potential last-four opponent.
There was little to split her and Wang in the early stages, staying on serve until the 24-year-old American finally worked the first break point at 3-2.
But Wang saved and served out to keep it level-pegging.
Anisimova was slowly gaining the ascendancy and after a hold to love she made her move as Wang was serving to stay alive, earning a set point.
A HUGE break from Wang after losing the first set.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2026
1-1 on her serve in the second.@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/aG7hQFZJXU
But again the Chinese player snuffed out the threat to take it to a tight tiebreak, where Anisimova muscled her way through with some searing groundstrokes.
Neither player dropped serve in set one but there were three breaks to start the next set, with Anisimova snaring two of them before Wang had a medical timeout.
Touche 🫱
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2026
Anisimova immediately responds with a break of her own. https://t.co/cORPUyIDwz pic.twitter.com/ZfUIyklGkI
Wang seemingly gestured towards her groin when she called the physio and returned with heavy strapping on her upper right leg.
Despite showing no obvious discomfort, she couldn't find a way to claw back into the contest and Anisimova calmly completed the job with an ace.