When Amanda Anisimova steps onto the court, she transforms. Off it, the 23-year-old is calm, soaking in the cities she visits, but on the WTA Tour, she channels an all-or-nothing intensity. “Maybe I could compare it to rap because I get pretty serious on the court—sometimes a bit aggressive. I love Lil Wayne; I mostly listen to him before my matches,” she revealed. Her raw talent and punishing forehand have propelled her to back-to-back Slam finals and a dominant China Open title, dropping just three sets. And as the WTA Finals approach, analysts are buzzing over Anisimova, while American top seed Coco Gauff finds herself overlooked in the spotlight.

In a recent Tennis Channel segment, former WTA ace Victoria Duval made her pick for the standout American heading into the WTA

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