Anisimova spoke openly about her break from tennis in 2023 both before and during her Wimbledon appearance.
With just two victories in the first four months of that year, the American left Madrid at the end of April and did not return to the WTA Tour until January of the following year.
Her mental health was suffering and it was time to “breathe a little and live a normal life.”
Having fun and making time for breaks is still vital for her now.
“I’m someone who struggles to do the same thing every day,” she said.
“I like to just do something different if I need a self-care day where there’s no tennis.
“If I need an easier day for mental recovery, I’ll take it because it’s just as important to me as my physical health.”
Anisimova is one year away from graduating with a degree in business and psychology, which she studied in person in Florida for a semester during the holidays.
She also devoted herself to painting and sold some of her works for charity.
“I really want to get back to it,” she continued.
“This is such a good mindfulness thing. That’s the reason I started this, being away from everything for three hours, getting my hands dirty, not being able to look at my phone or pay attention to anything else.”
As a world number six and two-time Grand Slam finalist, Anisimova may well have many major titles in her future, but not medical school, which was her ambition when she first entered the professional ranks.
“If I don’t succeed with tennis, since childhood I wanted to become a doctor, preferably a surgeon,” Anisimova said.
“Unfortunately, this is no longer very realistic for me. Maybe fortunately, because I enjoy my career.
“Science and medicine have always interested me, but now I feel like I’ve put too much pressure on myself with tennis—I don’t think I’ll be able to finish medical school.”
While last year’s final may not be her favorite memory, Anisimova hopes to use the experience for another successful run at Wimbledon.
“Wimbledon is Wimbledon. It will always be a pleasure to come back,” she added.
“I have great memories of it and I hope to maybe rewrite history in a more positive way and hopefully get to the end at some point in my career.”