French Open: Amanda Anisimova overcomes rusty start to storm into Rd 2
Paris, May 25
Amanda Anisimova shook off early rustiness after an eight-week injury layoff to defeat France's Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-3, 6-1 and move into the second round of the French Open on Monday.
Playing her first match since suffering a left wrist injury and missing the entire clay-court season leading into Paris, the American initially struggled to find rhythm on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. For the opening five games, Anisimova looked far from comfortable, dropping serve twice and battling inconsistency during extended rallies.
The 23-year-old, however, gradually rediscovered the aggressive baseline game that once carried her to the French Open semifinals as a teenager in 2019. After a shaky opening stretch, Anisimova completely took control of the contest, winning 11 of the next 12 games to wrap up victory in just one hour and nine minutes.
The win marked her 15th career match victory at the French Open and offered an encouraging sign for the two-time Grand Slam finalist after an interrupted clay campaign. Rakotomanga Rajaonah, competing in just the third Grand Slam main-draw match of her career, began brightly and capitalised on Anisimova's uncertain start. The Frenchwoman broke serve twice early in the first set after the American produced double faults in the 1-1 and 2-2 service games.
The 20-year-old left-hander, who claimed her maiden WTA Tour title in Sao Paulo last September, used her spin-heavy patterns and defensive resilience to frustrate Anisimova during the early exchanges. She also effectively saved pressure moments at the start, while Anisimova struggled to settle.
But once the American sharpened her return, the momentum shifted decisively. Anisimova began stepping inside the baseline with greater authority and consistently attacked Rakotomanga Rajaonah's serve, eventually winning nearly 70 per cent of the points on the French player's delivery during the match.
Despite finishing with 24 winners and 24 unforced errors, Anisimova's numbers reflected how dramatically her level improved after the opening set, where 14 of those errors were committed.
Rakotomanga Rajaonah entered the French Open, enduring a difficult second season on tour, arriving with a 1-11 win-loss record in 2026. Her only previous Grand Slam appearances had come at last year's Grand Slam event and at the Australian Open earlier this season, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the opening round.
Anisimova will next face Austria's Julia Grabher, who defeated Slovak qualifier Rebecca Sramkova in straight sets to secure her first Grand Slam match victory in two years following her own serious wrist injury setback.
Grabher, who is closing in on a return to the top 100 in the WTA rankings, brings a strong clay-court pedigree into the second-round clash, having won 15 ITF clay titles during her career.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Honestly, I feel bad for Rakotomanga Rajaonah. She started so well, breaking serve twice, but Anisimova's power game was just too much. That 1-11 record this season is tough to see though – hope she finds her footing soon. And Anisimova's story is inspiring, especially after being a semifinalist here as a teenager. 🙌
Good match overall. The left-handed French player (Rakotomanga Rajaonah) surprised me with her spin and defense early on. But once Anisimova started stepping inside the baseline, it was like watching a different player. 24 winners vs 24 errors shows she can be error-prone when out of form, but when she's on, she's a top contender. Big test against Grabher next, who's no mug on clay.
Anisimova is a classic example of why you should never write off a top player who's been injured. Her movement and aggression looked world-class after that first set. The French Open always brings out unexpected stories – looking forward to her match with Grabher. Both coming back from wrist injuries adds an interesting subplot.
I wonder if the French player's lack of experience at this level showed in the end. She played brilliantly for those first few games, but Anisimova's power and depth just wore her down. Tennis is such a mental game – once the American found her timing, there was no looking back. Hope the Indian players watching take notes on handling pressure! 🇮🇳
Honestly, Anisimova's serve was
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