Amanda Anisimova Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Amanda, tell us how your preparations have been.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, it’s been good. I’ve had a few days here now. I’ve been able to get some good training in. Because I was sick, I took a few days off. I’m feeling a lot better now. Yeah, really excited to start the tournament here.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Dubai and Doha are very close geographically, but players usually say conditions are quite different. Can you tell me a little bit how different it is from Doha.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, I’d say the conditions in terms of the weather is quite the same. But I think it’s just the courts are very different. I think the courts here play a lot faster. That’s probably what they mean by that.

I think in that sense I’m really happy. Had a few days here to get used to that because it is quite different in that sense. Yeah, I’m feeling really good that I’ve been able to get a few good hits in.

Q. Talking about Doha, it wasn’t the way that you wanted it to end. How are you feeling? What was the illness?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I thought we actually played a great match. I feel like the level was really high. I walked away from that match feeling really good about my game and everything.

I feel like I actually improved on a lot of things I wanted to do after Australia. I feel like I did the things that I wanted to do in that match.

Obviously she played really well. It’s really good to see her playing at such a high level after such a long break with injuries. Yeah, really happy for her.

I just had a head cold. It was really hard to compete at that level and I wasn’t really able to practice the days before, but nothing serious. That’s also good.

Q. One of your goals this season is maybe to win a Grand Slam?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, I’d say that’s a common goal I think we all share, is to win a Grand Slam. I’m doing everything I can in my capacity to try and get there, to try and achieve my goals.

But I’d say it’s obviously a process. You have to really try to tie in all the things together. I feel like I’m really trying to figure out everything I need to do to give myself the best possible chance.

But I think I’m more focused on just the overall process of getting there instead of the outcome. Hopefully one day I can achieve it.

Q. I’ve been asking players about their experiences with the social media abuse from betters, which has been going on forever. Have you had any particular, especially early on, bad experiences with that? How have you taught yourself to deal with that part, because it’s almost every day?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, it’s really difficult. I’d say it’s maybe not just betting, it’s overall cyber bullying all the time, like commenting on everything, like my body all the time, every single day (smiling). It is really difficult.

I think it gets really dangerous to the point where it can really affect someone’s mental health. I don’t think people realize the extent of it, how much of an effect it can actually have on someone.

I feel like I’ve really done a lot of work on myself when it comes to mental health, so I’m able to protect myself in that aspect. But it does concern me for the young girls, people that are just starting out in the sport, because it is a lot to handle sometimes.

Yeah, they can really say things that can really trigger certain people, especially in detail. But yeah, it is difficult.

If there’s, like, advice I can give, it’s just having tools. If it does affect someone, maybe delete their Instagram for a certain tournament, really try to limit the interactions they see. There’s also tools you can use on Instagram to kind of turn off certain things.

I feel like we’re going in the right direction. But, yeah, it is quite sad at the end of the day.

Q. Did you see Destanee Aiava’s retirement post yesterday?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I did see it.

Q. Just seeing that, how does it make you feel that someone who is on the tour, that was her experience? What can be done? Especially she felt excluded in all of these things. What do you feel the sport needs to do better to make everyone feel more included?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I would say that’s tough for me to answer. Obviously the post was disheartening and it was sad to read.

I personally don’t know her story. I don’t know her that well. I’m not really sure what she was talking about in that aspect. I don’t know if she was talking more about the reactions she received on social media or people in tennis. I just don’t know enough in detail to be able to answer that question.

At the end of the day it is heartbreaking she had that experience. Hopefully maybe she’ll change her mind and have a restart in tennis. You never know.

Q. Last few years many young American players have been playing better. Do you think it can be linked with legacy left by Serena Williams and other legend American players and their impact in your generation?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Like Serena has impacted…

Q. Yes.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I’d say for sure. I feel like Serena was such an icon and a legend. To be able to try to follow in her footsteps, obviously that’s almost impossible to be able to achieve for the majority of us (smiling). But it is the goal. It is that motivation. I think she’s been an inspiration to each one of us Americans as well as everyone else from other countries.

Yeah, I feel like we’re all doing really well. You also have a lot of youngsters coming in like Iva Jovic, who are performing well. Their attitude is great. It’s really good to see. I feel like there’s a really good group of us right now that’s really strong.

Yeah, it’s really exciting.

Q. This is your sixth appearance here.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah.

Q. You arrive as the number two seed. Does that give you a bit more pressure or confidence?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I feel like I’m actually feeling a lot less pressure and stress than when I compare it to Australia. I feel like I was able to reflect and kind of reset my goals, focus more on the process. I feel a lot better now that I have kind of let go of a lot of that stuff. I’ve just redirected things that I’m paying my attention to and putting my energy into. I feel good.

However I do, I know what I’m going to try and do, do my best at it. At the end of the day that’s all I can really do.

Q. Last year you won Doha, exit early in Dubai. This year you exit Doha early, maybe you win Dubai?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Hopefully that’s the pattern, yeah (smiling). Was that the question?

Q. Yes.

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I mean, that’s the hope. That’s the thing about tennis, is that we get so many opportunities every week. That’s what makes it so great. I love that. If you don’t perform well here, you can bounce back right away. In that sense it’s also unpredictable. I’m hoping for the best (smiling).

Q. You mentioned redirecting your focus, just working on certain goals that you have. Is there a method when things might not be going your way, shift that focus, is there a method, any advice that you can share?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: I’d say the biggest thing is probably being self-aware. I don’t think you’re really able to figure things out or get to the root problem if you don’t kind of sit with yourself and reflect on what’s actually going on.

I think it just takes time, kind of figuring out where my problem is stemming from, my emotions and feelings. Sometimes I feel like it’s confusing. In the moment it’s really hard.

I think the more time you take, like the easier it is to kind of figure out, reflecting on the last few weeks, what has been kind of going in the wrong way. That’s kind of the thing I do, is try to look back at everything, piece together certain things, see patterns. So it’s something I do personally.

Q. Is there someone in particular that you speak to or a figure that you can always fall back on, see if you can draw some inspiration?

AMANDA ANISIMOVA: Yeah, I mean, I’ve done a lot of therapy. I’ve said that before. I feel like at this point I’m pretty independent in that aspect, that I have the tools and I’m able to really clearly try and, I don’t know, think on my own. I try to think of these things by myself. But I also have someone at the end of the day that I can go to. I work with a psychologist.

I’ve done a lot of work now that I can kind of rely on myself in that sense. Then if I need extra help, if I’m completely lost, then yes, I do have that support.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports