Amanda Anisimova rallies past Muchova to reach Beijing quarterfinals

Amanda Anisimova booked her spot in the China Open quarterfinal Tuesday after coming from a set down to defeat Karolina Muchova 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 in Beijing. The victory continued the American’s resurgent 2025 season and set up an enticing last-eight clash with sixth seed Jasmine Paolini from Italy.

Muchova looked in complete control early in the match. The Czech raced through the opening set 6-1 in no time as Anisimova struggled to find her range. But the 24-year-old American turned the match around in the second set when she broke her opponent’s serve twice to level the contest.

The deciding set stayed tight until the ninth game when Anisimova secured the crucial break before serving out the win in just over two hours.

The result carries extra significance for Anisimova. Not only does it mark her seventh quarterfinal appearance of the season — tying her career-high set in 2022 — but it also ended a difficult stretch against elite opposition.

The win over Muchova was her first comeback win over a top-20 player after 11 consecutive defeats of that kind dating back three years. It also helps Anisimova continue her stretch of consistency, something that elevated her back into the conversation among the tour’s top contenders.

Since the start of the grass season in June, the American has collected 23 wins — the second most on the tour in that span just behind World No. 2 Iga Swiatek’s 27. That run has already produced finals at Wimbledon and the US Open, and is now powering Anisimova to have a run in Beijing as well.

Awaiting in the next round is Paolini, who overcame Marie Bouzkova 6-2, 7-5 in straight sets. The Italian was forced to dig deep in the second set where she saved two break points before clinching the victory.