A Withdrawal That Creates a Scheduling Nightmare
Amanda Anisimova has withdrawn from the Singapore Open, a WTA 500 event, citing a left wrist injury. The American had been drawn to face Talia Gibson in the round of 16, but lucky loser Viktoria Morvayova stepped in to take her place. On the surface, it looks like a routine injury withdrawal. Below the surface, however, it creates a serious compliance problem for the former Grand Slam contender.
WTA rules require every player to compete in a minimum of three WTA 500 level tournaments per season. Heading into Singapore, Anisimova had only ticked off two: the Brisbane International and the tournament at Queen's Club. Singapore was supposed to be her third and final obligation. Now that she has pulled out, she must find another qualifying event before the season closes, or face either a points deduction or a monetary fine from the tour.
Two October Tournaments Could Hold the Answer
Fortunately for Anisimova, there are exactly two WTA 500 events remaining on the 2026 calendar after Singapore: the Ningbo Open and the Pan Pacific Open, both scheduled during the Asian swing in October. Neither tournament has featured on her schedule before, making them unfamiliar territory, but attending at least one is now essentially mandatory to avoid punishment.
There is actually a silver lining hidden in this obligation. Anisimova currently sits 21st in the live Race to the WTA Finals standings, and the top eight players earn a spot in the season-ending championship. With that event being held at Indian Wells for the first time, on home soil for an American player, the motivation to chase ranking points in October has never been greater. TennisDraw users will want to keep a close eye on her draws at those October events.
