Amanda Anisimova, the American tennis player, and her sister Maria both excelled in tennis, even though Maria did not pursue it as a career.
Since childhood, both athletes learned to play tennis at a young age and wholeheartedly supported each other.
Currently, Maria Egee, Amanda’s sister, has made a big name for herself in the finance industry.
Amanda Anisimova was born on August 31, 2001, in Freehold Township, New Jersey.
Anisimova, fueled by her interest in tennis since age five, reached a career-high ITF junior ranking of No. 2 in the world in 2016.
During the early stages of her junior career, she entered the 2015 Abierto Juvenil Mexicano with a ranking outside the top 300. Still, she unexpectedly emerged victorious in the high-level Grade A tournament at 14.
In the middle of 2016, Anisimova secured a wildcard entry into the US Open qualifying, marking her first professional tournament. At the age of 14, she clinched her debut victory against world No. 124, Verónica Cepede Royg, but was defeated in the subsequent round.
Later, in her first tournament as a 17-year-old, she successfully qualified for the main draw and reached her first career WTA final.
Amanda Anisimova Sister: Maria Egee
The player’s elder sister, Maria, possesses tennis skills comparable to Anisimova. The sisters maintain a special bond with each other.
While attending Wharton’s undergraduate business school, Maria played college tennis for the University of Pennsylvania.
Furthermore, Maria Egee, a distinguished figure in the financial industry, serves as Director of Credit Trading at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Likewise, the 35 year old achieved the 11th position in the 2018 “30 under 30: Finance” list.
In addition to her contribution to the finance industry, Egee is also a married woman with two sons.
Furthermore, Maria has her influence beyond the tennis court, taking the role of a mentor and confidante to Amanda.
Amanda credits her sister’s inspiration to take up the sport, stating,
“When I was little, she played tennis. I always saw her playing, and I wanted to do it too. That’s how I got into it, and my parents got into it too.”
Thankful For Prioritizing Mental Health:
Earmarked as the “next big thing” in women’s tennis amid growing public expectation, Anisimova faced a series of challenges that imposed a heavy burden on her mental health.
Additionally, following the sudden passing of her coach and father in 2019, she might have felt more burdened by the expectations.
Last May, she took an indefinite break from tennis, citing burnout as one of the reasons behind her decision.
Moreover, in her Instagram post, she wrote, “At this point, my priority is my mental wellbeing and taking a break for some time. I’ve worked as hard as I could to push through it.”
Earlier this month, she returned to the WTA Tour, reaching the second round in Auckland and securing victory in her first-round match.
Speaking after her victory, Anisimova revealed the fortune she felt in prioritizing her mental health over her career.
Likewise, she expressed that the break has provided her with a fresh perspective on life and hopes it will aid her as she continues her return to the tour.