Florida Teen Anisimova Wins 1st Pro Tennis Title

Amanda Anisimova (photo: Ashley Marshall)

Teen Amanda Anisimova of Hallandale Beach, Fla., won her first career USTA Pro Circuit title on Sunday at the $60,000 FSP Gold River Women’s Challenger in Sacramento, Calif., when Croatia’s Ajla Tomljanovic withdrew before the final citing a right shoulder injury.

The 15-year-old ended an 0-3 streak in ITF/USTA Pro Circuit finals this year after losses at Curitiba, Brazil to Anastasia Potapova; Indian Harbour Beach, Fla., to Olga Govortsova; and to fellow American Kristie Ahn in Dothan, Ala., all in three sets.

Both Anisimova and Tomljanovic were unseeded. In the semifinals Anisimova needed three sets to get by her No. 2-seeded nemesis Ahn 6-4, 5-7, 6-1, while Tomljanovic upset No. 8-seeded American Sofia Kenin of Pembroke Pines, Fla., 6-4, 6-0. In her opening-round match Anisimova toppled another seed, No. 3 Kayla Day of the U.S. 6-3, 7-5.

Tomljanovic, who had right shoulder surgery last year, received treatment twice for her shoulder during her semifinal match.

Kenin holds a slight point lead over Anisimova in the US Open Wild Card Challenge, which will determine a main draw women’s wild card winner for the upcoming US Open. One week remains in the challenge as players battle at the $60,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Lexington, Ky., and at the WTA events in Washington, D.C., and Stanford. For more info on the US Open Wild Card Challenge go to www.usta.com/en/home/pro/pro-tennis-events/2017-us-open-wild-card-challenge.html.

In the doubles final the No. 2-seeded American-Mexican team of Desirae Krawczyk and Giuliana Olmos upset top-seeded Jovana Jaksic of Serbia and Vera Lapko of Belarus 6-1, 6-2.