Amanda Anisimova was twice a match away from winning a Grand Slam title last year.
Anisimova finished as runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2025, losing to Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, respectively.
This was a breakout season for the American, with many predicting Anisimova to win Grand Slams in 2026.
Anisimova lost in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open last month, and she has now stated her main focus over winning a first Grand Slam title.
Amanda Anisimova has a different focus other than winning a Grand Slam
Anisimova retired in her only match at the Qatar Open last week, but appears to have recovered from her illness as she competes at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Ahead of the second WTA 1000 tournament in the Middle East, Anisimova spoke to Al Ersal Pod, where she was asked about her Grand Slam ambitions.
While Anisimova did not dismiss her goal of winning a Grand Slam, she claimed that the process is more important to her right now, instead of the actual title itself.
“Yeah, I think that’s a common goal that we all share is to win a Grand Slam and I’m doing everything I can in my capacity to get there and to try and achieve my goals,” said Anisimova.
“But I’d say it’s obviously a process. You have to really try and tie in all the things together, and I feel like I’m really trying to figure out everything I need to do to give myself the best possible chance.
“But I think I’m more focused on just the overall process of getting there instead of the outcome, so hopefully one day I can get there and achieve it.”
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Amanda Anisimova says what she loves about tennis after retiring at the Qatar Open
Anisimova has stated that she is feeling less pressure in Dubai, and she has also revealed something else she is loving about the tournament.
After losing her only match at the Qatar Open last week, Anisimova explained that she is really happy to be able to move on from that disappointment just one week later.
“That’s the hope,” Anisimova said when asked about winning the title in Dubai. “That’s the thing about tennis is that we get so many opportunities and that’s what makes it so great.
“And I love that if you don’t perform well here then you can bounce back right away, so in that sense it’s also unpredictable. So, I’m hoping for the best.”
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Anisimova is already into the third round of the Dubai Tennis Championships without playing a single match, as her second round opponent Barbora Krejcikova withdrew due to injury.
As she looks to win her first match since the Australian Open, Anisimova will play Indonesian Janice Tjen for a place in the quarterfinals in Dubai.
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