Amanda Anisimova has come into the limelight as the dark horse of the Canadian Open. She defeated seasoned players, including Anna Kalinskaya, and Daria Kasatkina, while cutting Aryna Sabalenka’s comeback journey into the quarterfinals. Anisimova’s strong show at the Canadian Open is not a black swan event or a stroke of luck. Before making her presence known again, Anisimova showcased her tennis prowess to the world as a teenager.

Back in 2019, she was the youngest teenager in the top 50, ranked at World No.24. Playing semi-finals at the Roland Garros 2019, she upset the then World No.3, Simona Halep. All credit to her family, particularly her father, Konstantin Anisimov, who was also her coach. And her mother, Olga, who supported her daughter’s career from behind the curtain. However, the sweet scenes of the family soon turned sour.

Her parents separated in 2019, changing her team to suit the new arrangements. But things took a downward turn for the family when her father suffered a heart attack right before the US Open 2019, and passed away. The focus was soon turned away from tennis to her father, ensuring her support for the family. But it was difficult to deal with the loss of her father for the teenager. As she said during an interview with The New York Times back in 2020, “It was really hard to, like, leave my house.”

Anisimova further remarked, “This is obviously the hardest thing I’ve had to go through and the hardest thing that’s ever happened to me, and I don’t really talk about it with anyone.” Rightly so, the person whom she saw regularly on the court, helping her train and defeat some of the biggest names, was no more. And the only thing that came to her rescue and got her back on her feet was tennis, a journey representing her and her father.

She further said, “The only thing that has helped me is just playing tennis and being on the court. That’s what makes me happy, and I know it would make him happy, so that’s the way it is.” And after the break she is back in the court, creating ripples of success.

Now she would be facing fellow compatriot, Emma Navarro in the semifinals. Anisimova’s journey has been an intriguing one, as the World No.132 has finally found her rhythm on the tennis court. Certainly with the help of her new coach, Marc Lucero, as she enjoys tennis again!

Mark Lucero coaches Amanda Anisimova, as they build upon her father’s legacy

Her father taught her the ways of tennis. It would have been tough to see someone else in his place. However, life is all about moving on, and as Anisimova herself said, seeing her play tennis would have made her father happy. She is giving everything to ensure that she is back at in the race, to be the best. And her coach Lucero has made it possible with his constant support. In just a year of their collaboration, the American seems to be on the right track.

And it seema to be a healthy partnership, “I love Mark. I started working with him last November, and I’ve really been enjoying it, um he understands me as a player, as a person first. So that’s been really important to me and we have a good connection and yeah, he’s a really good coach.”

After a lot of ups and downs, it seems Anisimova has found her constant in tennis, as she embarks on her journey. This time with her coach Mark Lucero, and her father’s blessings!