In a commanding display at the 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal, Amanda Anisimova, the world No. 7 and recent Wimbledon finalist, delivered a stunning 6-2, 6-1 victory over British No. 1 Emma Raducanu in the third round. The 64-minute rout on Centre Court marked Anisimova’s first win over Raducanu, snapping a 0-2 head-to-head deficit from earlier 2025 encounters at the Australian Open and Miami Open. Despite the one-sided scoreline, Anisimova was quick to praise her opponent’s resilience and form, highlighting the challenge of facing the former US Open champion. “I feel like I played really well. Emma is such a tough player and she is in such good form,” Anisimova said post-match. “We have had a lot of tough battles, so I’m just happy to be through this one, but it’s not easy playing her.”
Anisimova, riding a wave of confidence after a stellar season, showcased her aggressive baseline game, hammering 29 winners to Raducanu’s five while keeping her unforced errors to 25 against Raducanu’s 22. The American seized control early, breaking Raducanu’s serve from 40-15 down in the second game and racing to a 5-2 lead in the first set. Her dominance continued in the second, where Raducanu managed to hold serve just once, narrowly avoiding a bagel set. “I was coming into this tournament feeling confident. I had a good season, and I feel like my game really suits the hard courts here,” Anisimova noted, crediting her preparation and the electric Montreal crowd. “The atmosphere here today was incredible. I love playing here in Canada and I’m just so happy to be here for another day.”
Raducanu, ranked in the top 40 and enjoying a resurgence, had entered the match with momentum from straight-set wins over Elena-Gabriela Ruse (6-3, 6-4) and 32nd seed Peyton Stearns (6-2, 6-4). Her recent consistency—winning seven of her last 10 matches, including a WTA 500 semifinal run in Washington—marked a career milestone, as she achieved consecutive victories in three straight tournaments for the first time. “I know Peyton is a really tough opponent, we’ve played two times in the past and always had really long matches,” Raducanu said after her Stearns win. “I kind of lost my focus at some moments in the second set and she took advantage, but very happy that I came through.” Despite her preparation, Raducanu struggled against Anisimova’s relentless pressure, admitting, “I just couldn’t execute my shots today. Amanda played incredibly well.”
Anisimova’s victory, her 50th at WTA 1000 events, cements her as the ninth American to reach this milestone since the format’s inception in 2009. Her 14-3 record since the grass season, including a Doha title and finals at Wimbledon and the HSBC Championships, underscores her status as one of the tour’s hottest players. “I told myself, I’ll definitely come out stronger after this,” Anisimova said after her 6-0, 6-0 Wimbledon final loss to Iga Świątek, a defeat she described as “tough to digest” but motivational. Her Montreal performance, where she has now won 29 consecutive matches after taking the first set, signals her readiness for a deep run.
Raducanu, despite the loss, remains optimistic as she heads to the Cincinnati Open, where she is seeded and will receive a first-round bye. Her 2025 season, highlighted by quarterfinals in Miami and the HSBC Championships, reflects steady progress after a 2023 injury layoff. Anisimova, meanwhile, faces 10th seed Elina Svitolina in the fourth round, a formidable challenge after Svitolina’s 6-1, 6-1 rout of Anna Kalinskaya. The Montreal crowd, energized by Anisimova’s performance and the tournament’s vibrant atmosphere, awaits another thrilling chapter in her campaign, as she aims to surpass her 2024 Toronto final run and claim the title.
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