By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday January 9, 2022
Amanda Anisimova claimed her second career title, and first since her breakout season in 2019, defeating Aliaksandra Sasnovich for the Melbourne 2 title.
Photo Source: Getty
Amanda Anisimova became the first WTA singles champion of 2022 by notching a her first title since her breakout season in 2019, defeating Aliaksandra of Belarus 7-5, 1-6, 6-4.
The former World No.21 (now 78) needed two hours and nine minutes to win a grueling battle with Sasnovich, who was seeking her maiden WTA title.
It was the perfect start to a season for the 20-year-old New Jersey native. She has been working on a trial basis with legendary Aussie coach Darren Cahill and it’s clear that the pair have clicked on some level.
Anisimova snapped a 14-match losing streak against top-30 ranked players in her semifinals match when she defeated Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 6-0.
She wasn’t as dominant on Sunday, but the victory still leaves her feeling good about her season after a banner week.
“We're really just taking it one day at a time, and yeah, we'll come up with a plan,” she said of her work with Cahill. “If he's available and free to be with me through the Australian Open, then I'd be glad to, but I know he has some TV stuff, so we'll just talk about it and we'll see, but I'm really hoping that he'll be able to.
“I had a really good time with him this week, and other than being a really great coach, he's also an amazing person, so just having him in my corner has been really great.”