"Second day back at it" - Amanda Anisimova returns to practice courts amid mental break from professional tennis

Amanda Anisimova returned to court for practice amidst her indefinite break from professional tennis.

Anisimova took to social media on Thursday (September 7) to share some glimpses from her second day at the practice session. She announced a break from tennis to focus on her mental health in May. However, her new Instagram post hints at her making a return to professional tennis.

The video featured Amanda Anisimova warming up and practicing on the court.

“Second day back at it 🙌🏼 #changedperspective”, the former World No.21 captioned her reel.

She has been making the most of her time away from the sport. Amanda Anisimova revealed on August 17 that she is pursuing a course at Nova Southeastern University as a student-athlete.

The 21-year-old opened up about “burnout” in May, further expressing that she couldn't bear to play at tennis tournaments. She announced her hiatus with an Instagram post to share her current plans.

"Hey guys. I thought I’d make a post explaining what’s been going on and my plans. I’ve really been struggling with my mental health and burnout since the summer of 2022. It’s become unbearable being at tennis tournaments," she wrote in her post clarifying her current status.

Anisimova expressed her choice to prioritize working on her mental health and be back on the court stronger.

"At this point my priority is my mental well-being and taking a break for some time. I’ve worked as hard as I could to push through it. I will miss being out there, and I appreciate all the continuous support," she further added to her post.

Coco Gauff expresses her unconditional support towards Amanda Anisimova on her break due to mental health struggles

Among many players, Coco Gauff has recently shown her support towards Amanda Anisimova, amid a break from the sport due to struggles with mental health.

The American expressed that she was surprised at the news of Anisimova taking a break, but she understands the importance of the decision.

“I’d say when she announced the initial break, I was surprised. I don’t think anybody was expecting it or anything. But I can understand really,” Gauff said in an interview ahead of the 2023 US Open.

She further discussed how players need to take some downtime off the court to regain their strength. Anisimova recently lost her father which took a toll on her mental health.

Coco Gauff went on to say that Anisimova’s dad might have inspired her to embark on her tennis career.

“She had a lot to deal with the loss of her dad. I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure he started her in tennis. I was really surprised personally how she was able to continue to play and she ended up beating me at Wimbledon that I think a year or two after,” Gauff added.