Unfortunately, tennis players often face unpleasant comments on social media. However, Amanda Anisimova provided a fitting reply to an account on X that made distasteful remarks about her physical appearance.It has been more than five years since Anisimova burst onto the scene as a young tennis player. In 2018, at the age of only 18, she reached the fourth round of the WTA-1000 tournaments at the Indian Wells Open.
The American had an even more impressive performance at the French Open the following year. Anisimova advanced to the semifinals, narrowly losing to the eventual champion Ashleigh Barty.Although she made it to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 2022, Anisimova struggled to replicate her initial success as a teenager. After a challenging start to 2023, she decided to take a break from the sport.
Anisimova has since spoken about the benefits of her time away from tennis. Choosing to prioritize her mental health and take a break is something commendable for a 22-year-old.The semifinalist of the 2019 French Open reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in her first tournament of the year. However, she faced difficulties in maintaining her form over the next few months, and it seemed unlikely for her to achieve significant success in 2024.
However, Anisimova surprised the tennis world with an impressive run to the final of the Canadian Open, which took place in Toronto this year for WTA players. In her first three matches, she defeated Caroline Dolehide, Daria Kasatkina, and Anna Kalinskaya.Anisimova then shocked the Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals. She secured her first appearance in a WTA-1000 final by defeating her compatriot Emma Navarro 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.
Her outstanding performance in Toronto is expected to bring her back into the Top 50 rankings. Unfortunately, her exceptional tennis skills did not deter a derogatory account on the social media platform X from spreading negativity.The account chose to ignore Anisimova’s achievements in Toronto and instead focused on commenting about her physical appearance. This is a common issue faced by female athletes on social media.
“Why? She wants to be the world’s number one player and win a Grand Slam. Being overweight as a professional athlete doesn’t really help her reach her goals.” Anisimova refused to let the person behind the account get away with their hateful comments. Instead, she responded with a sharp remark, questioning why the account owner was so fixated on criticizing the body of a 22-year-old.
“Don’t you have anything more productive to do than comment on the body of a 22-year-old? Do you not have a job or friends? Seriously, I’m fine, and I don’t think anyone here is seeking your advice lolz.”
Numerous athletes choose to disregard derogatory comments directed towards them on online platforms, whereas some opt to address and confront such negativity, similar to Anisimova’s approach. Various strategies prove more effective for individual players, but the crucial aspect is that they refuse to let offensive remarks negatively impact their emotional well-being.The problem of social media trolling persists, particularly on X (previously known as Twitter). Devoted fans expressing affection and encouragement towards their beloved athletes can assist in mitigating this concern.
Photo from Amanda Anisimova Instagram
