Anisimova eliminates Tagger 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to reach US Open third round

Amanda Anisimova from Freehold, New Jersey, has a lot on the line. She has yet to reach a final this season or progress beyond the quarters at the previous three grand slams including third round losses at the French Open and Wimbledon.

In addition, she is defending points from her final appearance last year in Flushing Meadows (l. Sabalenka). The former world #3 with four career titles is currently ranked and seeded 10th. While she may have been lacking in confidence heading into the final slam of the season, her precocious opponent compelled her to manifest it.

Lilli Tagger, from Austria, is just eighteen years old and already a WTA tour champion. This past July she claimed her first career title at the Prague Open, a 250-level outdoor hardcourt event. At 6’1 with a stunning one-handed backhand, the teen has cracked the top-fifty at #49 and will most likely be seeded at the 2027 Australian Open.

JULIAN FINNEY / Getty images / Profimedia

This was their first tour-level meeting and a treat for those lucky to be in attendance. On the Grandstand court under breezy conditions, Anisimova served first and dumped serve following four consecutive unforced errors. Tagger made 3/5 first serves and held easily to 15 to consolidate the break.

Anisimova regrouped admirably, striking a terrific forehand down the line and held at love for 1-2. Tagger hit a 116mph ace up the tee but, with two consecutive unforced errors, dropped serve. Anisimova struck her first ace and held to 15 while Tagger held to 30 to level at three.

The American, with the partisan crowd behind her, hit two outstanding inside-out forehands and held to 30 for 4-3. The Austrian, serving with new balls, gifted three unforced errors, two off the backhand and dumped serve. Anisimova pounced and consolidated the break at love to seal the set.

Tagger served first in the second, opened with a double fault and dropped serve following two additional backhand errors. Anisimova, with a sense of urgency, continued to pummel the ball off both wings. She opened with a spectacular crosscourt backhand winner, and followed with an ace and a formidable forehand down the middle to consolidate the break for 2-0.

Tagger missed four consecutive first serves and faced deuce and break point yet held for 1-2 following three consecutive errors from her opponent. Anisimova looked on course for a straight-sets victory, but Tagger refused to comply.

Although she opened with a blistering backhand winner and hit another ace, she faced six deuce and three break points before conceding the game with two additional double faults. The Grandstand crowd was stunned into silence by the drastic swing in momentum as well as the composure and shot-making of Tagger.    

The Austrian hit two consecutive aces and her second double fault but held to 30 to consolidate the break for 3-2. Anisimova hit her 4th ace and 4th double fault, and though she tried to pump herself up, dropped her serve following a fantastic forehand down the line from Tagger and a mishit backhand.

Tagger maintained her poise under pressure as she stepped to the line to consolidate the break. She made 4/5 first serves, including an ace out wide on game point for 5-2. Anisimova, serving to stay in the set, struck two winners, including an ace up the tee and a remarkable crosscourt forehand on game point. Tagger served for the set and though she opened with a netted backhand, kept her composure and secured it when Anisimova missed wide with a crosscourt forehand.  

Anisimova left the court following the conclusion of the second set. She served first in the decider and came out swinging. She made 4/4 first serves, including an ace up the tee on game point to hold at love, while Tagger donated three unforced errors, including two off the backhand and dropped serve.

The American upped her intensity and weight of shot as the set progressed. She opened the third with two consecutive groundstroke winners and, though she faced deuce, held to consolidate the break for 3-0.

Tagger was determined to keep it close. She competed valiantly despite missing a plethora of first serves. She faced six deuce and saved six break points before conceding the game with her fourth double fault and a marvelous inside-in forehand winner from Anisimova.

The tenth seed faced 0-30 and a break point but, with three consecutive first serves and an extraordinary inside-in backhand, consolidated the break for 5-0. Tagger serving to stay in the match, struck her 5th ace, 5th double fault and faced two deuce points yet held with two consecutive aces up the tee!

Anisimova served for the match and a place in the third round. She opened with a terrific crosscourt backhand, earned match point with a brilliant backhand down the line and clinched it when Tagger netted the forehand return.

It was a three-set slugfest peppered with slices, volleys and overheads. Tagger acquitted herself extremely well in her maiden main draw appearance at the US Open. Anisimova minimized the unforced errors and created opportunities with her ferocious ball-striking. She finished with 7 aces, 4 double faults, and won 76% of first and 36% of second serve points, an area she must improve as she strives to reach the second week in NY. She saved 3/6 break points while converting 5/12.

Her third-round opponent is another Austrian, the 24th seed, Anastasia Potapova. The twenty-five-year-old from Russia announced last December that she would represent Austria at the start of the 2026 season.

Their lone previous match won in straights by Anisimova was seven years ago in the qualifying tournament at the Italian Open. With the round of sixteen up for grabs, this is a whole new ballgame.