Overview
- On Wednesday Anisimova opened the 2026 US Open by playing mixed doubles with Learner Tien and lost in the first round to Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul.
- She enters singles in the top 10 after a rapid comeback that followed an eight-month mental-health break in 2023 that saw her rankings fall to No. 373.
- Anisimova used that break to rebuild routines such as five-minute breathing pauses and meditation, which she says helped produce a breakout 2025 season with two WTA 1000 titles and back-to-back Grand Slam finals.
- Her Pure Leaf Iced Tea tie-up is built around the ‘take a break’ message and includes fan activations in New York, a visible commercial use of an athlete’s mental-health narrative during the tournament.
- Beyond her personal goals, Anisimova’s story highlights a wider shift in elite sport toward open talk about mental health and shows how those conversations can boost both performance and commercial appeal.