Tennis: Age is just a number for feisty American Amanda Anisimova

Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. celebrates winning her fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament against Spain's Aliona Bolsova. Photo / AP

To Amanda Anisimova, it seems "like, forever ago" that she was playing in the French Open main draw for the first time. For the record: It has been all of two years.

Still only 17, and ranked 51st, the precocious American with the quick-strike strokes and self-described "effortless shots" became the first player born in the 2000s to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final.

She overwhelmed Aliona Bolsova of Spain 6-3, 6-0 at Roland Garros yesterday, earning the right to face defending champion Simona Halep next.

Anisimova, born in New Jersey and based in Florida, is the youngest American to reach the last eight in Paris since Jennifer Capriati in 1993 and the youngest from any country since 2006.

Not that she's keeping track, mind you.

"I have no idea about who did what at what age. People tell me, and then I just forget after a second. I don't really care about it too much," said Anisimova, the words flying out of her mouth with the same sort of pace that tennis balls zoom off her racquet.

"I'm in the present and I want to do good and I hope for good results, but I don't really think about how old I am."

Now she will take on 27-year-old Halep, the No3 seed, who dispatched another teenager, Iga Swiatek of Poland, 6-1, 6-0 yesterday.

When someone asked about going from an 18-year-old opponent in Swiatek to Anisimova, Halep's initial reply was: "I feel old.

"To play against someone 10 years younger than me, that's not easy. But I feel stronger on court," she went on to say. "They're young. They have nothing to lose. So every match is tough."

Halep is one of only two women left in the draw who already own a major title. The other quarter-final match-up on her half is No8 Ash Barty, of Australia, against No14 Madison Keys, of the United States.

If Halep's first attempt to defend a Grand Slam trophy got off to a shaky start with a pair of three-setters, she is really rounding into form now. She has ceded a total of four games over the past two rounds.

The key to her success has been remarkable returning: She has won 70 per cent of her opponents' service games, 30 of 43, which not only leads the tournament but reads as if it's a misprint.

On the other hand, her own serving has been an issue, tied for 49th in the 128-player draw at a 65 per cent hold rate.

Anisimova watched Halep play and took notes.

"I was, like, 'Oh, my God, her backhand down the line is so good and she was taking her time," Anisimova said, "and then I think I was mimicking it in my match."

To Anisimova, this feels as if it's the next natural step in what's been a fast progression. This is only her fourth Grand Slam appearance — she reached the fourth round at the Australian Open in January.

She was the 2016 junior runner-up in Paris, then the 2017 junior champion at the US Open. Earlier that season, at age 15, she picked up a US Tennis Association wildcard into the French Open for her debut at a major.

"Even though I was in the main draw, I was still in the qualifying locker room. I didn't even know they had a locker room here," she said. "I'm aware of that now."

If she keeps playing like this, the world will be aware of her very shortly.

- AP