Mboko eliminates Anisimova 6-4, 6-1 in the round-of-sixteen at Indian Wells
Amanda Anisimova from the United States was seeking her first title in the desert and third at the 1000 level. Last season, she won her first two: Doha (d. Ostapenko ) and China (d. Noskova ). Her opponent, Victoria Mboko from Canada, won her first on home soil in Montreal (d. Osaka) last August and was a finalist (l. Muchova) last month in Doha.
Anisimova, just twenty-four, reached two Grand Slam finals last season (Wimbledon & US Open), achieved a career-high rank of #4, and was voted 2025 WTA Most Improved Player. She is currently ranked and seeded sixth.
Mboko, just nineteen, was voted 2025 Newcomer of the Year. She began last season ranked #333, finished #18, and is currently ranked a career-high of #10.
This was their first tour-level meeting. Anisimova won the toss and chose to serve. She reached game point at 40-30 with a spectacular running crosscourt forehand but faced five deuce points before holding with her first ace. It was a harbinger of things to come as she repeatedly struggled to hold serve while Mboko held at love with two consecutive groundstroke winners.
Photo: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images via Agence France-Presse
The American donated three unforced errors and faced deuce, yet held for 2-1, while the Canadian held to 30 to level. Anisimova opened the fifth with an incredible inside-in forehand and with two additional winners, held to 30 for 3-2.
Mboko, with impeccable court coverage, seamlessly transitioned from defense to offense. She opened the sixth with a colossal inside-in forehand and though she gifted two double faults and faced deuce, held for 3-3 with a monster serve up the tee.
Anisimova continued to have success when coming to the net, but dumped serve following four consecutive unforced errors. Mboko, serving with new balls donated another double fault, but with her first ace at 118 mph, held easily to 15 to consolidate the break for 5-3.
Anisimova serving to stay in the set opened with an ace out wide and led 40-15 but faced deuce before eking out the hold. It was a remarkable display of poise, power, and precision as Mboko held easily to 15 to secure the set.
Anisimova, irritated and frustrated as the unforced errors continued to accrue, dropped serve to open the second. Mboko opened with a forehand half-volley winner and with her second ace, held easily to 15 to consolidate the break.
Anisimova donated her first double fault but got on the board with three winners, including two aces out wide. Mboko committed two consecutive backhand errors to open the fourth and faced a break point following her fourth double fault, yet held with three consecutive aces.
The stadium erupted in cheers and applause as the teenager continued to impress while the veteran continued to toil. Anisimova once again reached 40-30 but dumped serve with her second double fault.
Mboko missed 3/6 first serves, including her fifth double fault, but held to 30 to consolidate the break for 5-1. Anisimova unraveled as she served to stay in the match. She faced a triple match point following two consecutive backhand errors and conceded it with a mishit forehand.
Mboko mesmerized the crowd with her exceptional movement, potent serve, and formidable groundstrokes. She progresses to the quarterfinals on tournament debut with her fifth top-ten win. The world #10 is the first Canadian to reach the final eight since Bianca Andreescu won the title at age nineteen in 2019.
Next up, the world #1. Aryna Sabalenka won their lone previous meeting in straights this past January at the Australian Open. With a spot in the penultimate round on the line, this promises to be a heavy-hitting, high-octane encounter between two of the game’s elite.