Tennis Boxing from Madrid
Victoria Azarenka vs Amanda Anisimova
(5-1, 5 KO vs 2-0, 2 KO)
WTA Rankings: #17 vs #33

Venue: Caja Magica, Madrid, Spain

{{{ Story based on a real-life tennis match from the third round of the Mutua Madrilena Open 05/02/22 }}}

BEFORE: Two offensive-minded players square off in the Spanish capital and while Victoria Azarenka is very much on the downside in her age 33 season, Amanda Anisimova has found a spell of better form and the only question is, can she sustain it over a longer period? WTA has seen a great deal of unpredictable results lately - even among the designated stars of the sport and clay season is always prone to provide more unexpected performances with neither of these two calling it their favorite either.

Victoria Azarenka wears a beige crop top, black hip-huggers & red gloves. Long blonde hair tied in a braid. Amanda Anisimova wears a black crop top, micro jeans shorts & blue gloves. Long blonde hair tied in a braid. The fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the welterweight division.

Round 1:
Both women find the quick jabbing pounce working the best and they can also embrace a lot of these hard hits but Amanda finds the better value and knocks Victoria's head back in more efficient fashion before landing a nasty cross hook on the nose that throws the older blonde off her stance for good. Azarenka can't quite swing from the back foot and only grazes the American's flesh while Anisimova pours more leather up the middle and clobbers her foe back to the ropes come the half-way mark. She then sticks to her aggressive game plan and plugs more shots on target which forces Azarenka to apply the earmuff cover and she's unable to do anything from there as Amanda duly cleans her out to take the round wide.

Round 2:
More of the same in the second, an even start leads into an upgrade in punching volume from Anisimova who just lays it into the older blonde's face and Victoria's high guard collapses by the wayside allowing the American to pack all the juice she wants! Huh! Victoria has to spin away into mid-range where she's unable to match Anisimova's intensity and quickly drops into defensive circles simply trying to avoid another trap along the ropes. She manages to achieve her goal but Amanda keeps hassling her from both flanks and scores several single hits on target to further extend her advantage. Woof. She whacks Azarenka on the left brow ridge with a vicious hook right at the bell and the former WTA #1 gives her a lenghty death stare afterwards.

Round 3:
Victoria finds success punching Amanda to the body early in the third and finally manages to throw the younger blonde off her slugging roll but the comeback is short-lived and leaves Azarenka chasing a true game-changing series during the second minute. Amanda takes her foot off the gas for a while but avoids a swarming response from the Belarussian player who just can't follow through with her efforts and she's not causing any significant damage here working the single-hand delivery. Both women clash heads to start the final minute and Anisimova drills the exposed ribcage to recover from the stalemate before looping more sky hooks on each temple and drive Victoria back to mid-range again. Generous WTA fans give that round to Azarenka!

Round 4:
Both women resume the head-hunting pounce and Azarenka gets cut up below the left eye which only fuels Anisimova's slugging drive in the opening minute. She grinds the former #1 into a halt in the center of the ring and keeps swinging over the top taking full advantage of Victoria's leaky high-guard. Woof! A huge right hand makes her scowl in pain before another quick series wobbles her onto the ropes and it's all Mandy from there! She blitzes the older blonde up the middle and splits her forearms to connect with the breasts which slumps Victoria into more painful shrieks before a booming double on the exposed chin sags her into all kinds of bother. Anisimova is ready to deliver the killer drive but bounces off the top of her rival's forehead and Azarenka clinches her in the closing stages to avoid a looming disaster. Huh! The writing is very much on the wall though!

Round 5:
Victoria tries to land a one punch KO response but she's not in the best of shape anymore so she skies it wide and gets SMOKED by a brutal right hook over the top that makes her spin to the side and Amanda doesn't waste her second opportunity as she delivers a quick uppercut double on the chin to SEND THE OLDER BLONDE CRASHING DOWN ON HER BACKSIDE moments later! Boom! Victoria gets laid out in style and allthough she tries to beat the count she stays down on one knee when it reaches eight and there's that shake of the head to indicate the Belarussian veteran simply doesn't want to continue anymore... NINE.. TEN... she's OUT!!! KO5 Amanda Anisimova in scary good fashion!!!

AFTER: Many fans & Nike executives really want to see Mandy explode with her talent and following a couple of rough seasons maybe, just maybe 2022 is the time when it finally all clicks for the New Jersey native! She's on the verge of entering Top 30 again with her upside reaching much higher anyway! She turns 21 in August so there's a lot of mileage left on those tires and if she can win some of these high-profile matches on a regular basis she will meet those lofty glamour expectations sooner or later! Talent always rises to the top after all!

Official Result: Amanda Anisimova def. Victoria Azarenka KO5. {{{ Tennis score was 6-1 6-4 Anisimova }}}.