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Former American tennis stars John Isner and Tennys Sandgren slammed a reporter’s line of questioning aimed at Amanda Anisimova on Thursday while she was at the Australian Open.
Anisimova was pressed by a reporter to share her thoughts about the U.S. and playing under the American flag. She didn’t give the reporter the bait and he clarified what he meant in a follow-up ask.
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John Isner of the United States serves against Michael Mmoh of the United States on day four of the 2023 U.S. Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Aug. 31, 2023. (Jerry Lai/USA TODAY Sports)
“In the context of the last year of everything that’s been happening in the U.S., does that complicate that feeling at all?” the reporter asked.
“I don’t think that’s relevant,” she fired back.
Isner was among those who ripped the question on social media.
“Popular opinion: Let’s ask tennis questions to the players at a tennis tournament. This is so lame,” Isner wrote on X.
Sandgren didn’t mince words either.
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Tennys Sandgren of the United States reacts against James Duckworth of Australia (not pictured) during the Citi Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center on Aug. 3, 2021. (Scott Taetsch/USA TODAY Sports)
“Bug reporter,” he added. “Go write for the Economist if you have the chops. If not ask her how her backhand felt and move on.”
Anisimova’s answer was a stark contrast from what Coco Gauff said during the tournament earlier this week.
Gauff was asked about her thoughts on the “state of the U.S.” one year into President Donald Trump’s second term.
“I hope forward that we can have a lot more peace in our country and more kindness in the way we speak to each other about different topics and things like that,” she said, via The Tennis Letter. “Obviously, I’ve been pretty vocal about how I felt. At this point, I feel a bit fatigued talking about it just because of the fact that it is hard also being a Black woman in this country and having to experience things, even online, and seeing marginalized communities being affected. And knowing that I can only donate and speak out. I try my best to do that.
Amanda Anisimova of the United States in action against Simona Waltert of Switzerland in the first round on Day 2 of the 2026 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Jan. 19, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Robert Prange/Getty Images)
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“But, yeah, I hope that as time continues that we can reach a state that we’re not currently in, and we keep moving forward. I posted the video of Martin Luther King and that was kind of saying, ‘We must keep moving forward,’ even as things may not be as calm as I’d like it to be right now.”
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