The WTA Tour is being stormed with a new talent. Well, not entirely. Though Amanda Anisimova might not be a household name, she isn’t unknown to the tennis world. She has been turning formidable challenges upside down at the Canadian Open. This, in turn, has elicited the sporting community to intrigue themselves with details surrounding her personal life. And what do you know, the rising star’s source of inspiration will surely take you by surprise.

Anisimova has been setting an impressive bar at the Canadian Open. She has yet to drop a set at the event and has further surpassed challenges from the likes of Caroline Dolehide, Daria Kasatkina, and Aryna Sabalenka. Her latest victory came over Belarusian Sabalenka in the quarterfinal round, wherein she trashed the World No. 3 without facing major resistance in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. In hopes of digging deep at the hardcourt tournament, Anisimova has produced laudable results, which believe it or not, stem from her sister, Maria Egee.

The former World No. 21 took to the courts for the first time in 2005. While most would speculate that her choice of sport came due to her parents, that isn’t the case with Anisimova. The American’s motivation for playing the sport came from her sister Maria, who also engaged in tennis during her budding years. After her family moved to the States from Russia in hopes of embarking upon a brighter future, Anisimova was initially coached by her father in the early days.

While talking to the reporters to term her source of inspiration, the young talent was quick to credit her sister. She said, “When I was little she was playing tennis. I always saw her playing, and I wanted to do it too. That’s how I got into it and my parents got into it too.”

Moreover, last year, after Anisimova’s father’s sudden death, Egee reserved a few words to encapsulate how the tennis star imitated the University of Pennsylvania alumni at a time when she played college tennis as a junior. This, in turn, elicited their parents to let the American try her hand at the sport. “If I was playing a tournament, Amanda would stand outside the fence of the court and mimic what I was doing. She had a little baby racket, and my parents said, ‘Right, we’ll take a shot at it.”

In an NY Times interview, Egee also revealed how the Anisimovs learned from her early tennis life to help her younger sister avoid the same mistakes. Having a social life and be on the path to becoming a professional athlete did not go hand in hand for Egee. In fact, it made her want to quit the sport altogether.

“It’s why my mom created a tennis camp, so Amanda could hang out with kids her own age, so she didn’t miss out on anything,” the older Anisimova sibling told NYT. “Many of her friends today are friends from that camp.” Just imagine what American tennis would have been like without Amanda Anisimova today!

Ironically, fate had a mysterious way of replaying her sister’s goodwill to Anisimova. Maria’s toddler daughter admires her aunt when she finesses her talents on the Tour!

Aunt Amanda Anisimova gets a surprise cheerleader during Australian Open contest

Amanda Anisimova has been proving her daunting form all season. Earlier this year at the Australian Open, the American talent outfoxed Paula Badosa in the hardcourt Slam’s third round, thrashing the Spaniard with a score line of 7-5, 6-4. Later, she shared an adorable family moment.

Taking to her official Instagram handle, the 22-year-old showcased her nephew delightfully eying her focus on her aunt’s Melbourne participation. Her sister, Maria Egee, originally posted the story which housed the toddler seated in front of the TV in mere captivation of her aunt performing live on the courts of Melbourne Park.

The former World No. 21 is currently scheduled to lock horns with countrywoman Emma Navarro on Sunday, August 11, for a place in the Canadian Open’s title clash.