US Open star speaks out after being accused of drinking beer during match
Amanda Anisimova has finally addressed speculation that she drank a beer mid-match at the recent Cincinnati Open. The American star is bidding to win a maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open this fortnight, having finished runner-up 12 months ago.
In the build-up to her home Grand Slam tournament, Anisimova reached the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Open, where she was spotted drinking something from a plastic cup in the middle of her third-round match against Alex Eala.
The world No. 10 thought she was being discreet by keeping the drink underneath her towel, but clips of Anisimova drinking the nondescript liquid went viral, and commentators even thought she had asked for a beer.
It soon became apparent that Anisimova had actually been drinking a Red Bull, which had likely been poured from its can into the clear cup to avoid showing the logo. But the American ace had not addressed the viral clips until now.
After beating countrywoman Ashlyn Krueger in the first round of the US Open, the 10th seed was asked about footage of her sipping what appeared to be beer. “Yeah, the energy drink, yeah,” she replied.
“Well, I thought nobody was going to see it. That was my whole intention of having it be discreet and under the towel. I thought it was not going to go anywhere. And it obviously ended up being the biggest thing of the week.
I think that is a learning lesson to not try and be low-key about things, maybe. Yeah, I was trying to not have it be shown. Yeah, it ended up being something, a form of entertainment for a lot of people. Not beer, though!”
During that match against Eala, commentators were baffled by the amber liquid in Anisimova’s cup. “What is that?” the main commentator on Tennis Channel asked. “Could it be apple cider?” his colleague replied.
“I would never suggest a player was drinking a beer in the middle of a match, but… that’s certainly what it looked like,” the lead comms said, minutes before the Red Bull can was finally shown on camera, bringing an end to the debate.
Anisimova swapped the Red Bull for some birthday drinks on Monday, as she turned 25 on the same day that she sealed a 6-1 6-3 victory over Krueger. “I think that my family and friends have something planned for tonight. We’re going to see,” she said after her opening-round match.
And the former finalist in New York took to Instagram later that night to share some snaps from her birthday dinner
