Amanda Anisimova v Madison Keys result - Anisimova secures win in three tough sets at WTA Finals in Riyadh

Having both lost their openers in straight sets, the second round-robin match between Amanda Anisimova and Madison Keys felt like a must win. It was also the first time the duo had met on the professional circuit. 

Anisimova won through in three sets, but the scoreline does not tell the full story of the match. 

Both players struggled for rhythm in the opening set, the error count mounting with double faults also littering the play as the match started with four straight breaks of serve. 

But Keys found some momentum first and took the set 6-4, and then moved a break up at the start of the second.

Anisimova, who qualified for the WTA Finals thanks to two Grand Slam final runs at Wimbledon and the US Open, was struggling both on serve and in general, finding the net more often than not and hitting plenty of balls into the tram lines. She cut a frustrated figure at times too, even screaming after yet another error.

But when Keys threw in a loose game midway through the second set, Anisimova needed no further invitation.

She completely turned the match around, reeling off six straight games as she took the second set 6-3 and broke immediately in the third.

A brief wobble late on when serving for the match aside, Anisimova completed the comeback, running out a 4-6 6-3 6-2 winner against the Australian Open champion. 

That result sends Rybakina into the semi-finals in top sot from the Serena Williams Group, and means Anisimova still has a chance of advancing herself. She faces Iga Swiatek in a winner-take-all clash.

Anisimova comes out to serve for the match. A lovely cross-court forehand wins her the opening point, Keys barely getting a racquet to that one.

But then 30-0 becomes 30-15 after Anisimova sends one wide.

Make that 30-30. Keys is not going down without a fight here.

And Anisimova sends the next one long... Break point.

Deuce, Anisimova managing to do enough with a forehand. But then a backhand goes very, very wide. Another break point.

Anisimova saves it and then Keys goes wide again to bring up match point. No, no, no. Anisimova is caught mid-court and cannot dig the ball out from under her feet.

Keys sends her return long to bring up a second match point...

And Keys sends her return wide. Anisimova takes the win in one hour 43 minutes.

Can Keys keep this match alive?

Anisimova goes wide on the second serve return, and looks disappointed with herself. 15-0.

Then comes another double fault for 15-15.

But then Keys drags it back with some winners, to get to 40-15.

Another double fault makes it 40-30...

But Keys hangs on. She manages a tiny fist bump, but it might be too little, too late.

Anisimova really has found her serve here. Another booming first serve goes in, that Keys can barely get a racquet to.

And she closes out the game with a second serve ace.

Anisimova ia one game away now.

Oh dear. Keys loses her first serve again, and swiftly heads to 0-40. This could be the match.

She finds a first serve to save the first break point.

An error from her opponent saves the second, and then Keys finds a glorious winner to get to deuce.

But then the Aussie Open winner finds the net. Up comes a fourth break point.

And the backhand flies long under no pressure from Keys, and she is now a double break down.

Lovely! That gets the crowd involved. Keys plays a squash shot forehand as she gets caught going toe wrong way, and Anisimova is quick up to it and deftly puts the ball away for a classy winner.

The end of the first set and beginning of the second, when she could barely get a ball in play seems a long time ago.

She holds to 15.

The rot does stop. Keys finally gets a hold of serve, but she has work to do here.

The good news is some first serves went in.

The bad news is that Anisimova is still growing in confidence out there.

So, six games in a row to Anisimova. Can Keys break back and stop the rot?

It does not look likely, as Anisimova continues to motor. She gets to 40-15, Keys goes long on the return and make that seven games in a row.

Keys is serving first in the final set.

But she is still struggling on serve. And now she is struggling with her movement out there too, as the speed of Anisimova's shots increases.

Keys goes for too much, the errors grow and Anisimova has the break.

Anisimova hit six winners and 12 unforced errors in that set, Keys hitting less winners and more unforced errors which explains that scoreline.

Four double faults for Keys as well which does not help.

Intot he decider we go after one hour and 12 minutes.

Does this have a final twist? Keys has suddenly found her rhythm again. But at 30-30 Keys misses one, and that brings up set point.

Anisimova misses with the first serve, but Keys cannot get the return in off the second serve and that is the set!

What a turnaround.

One set all, we are heading to a decider.

A must hold for Keys here. But she is struggling to find her first serve now. Anisimova gets to 15-30, but then gifts Keys a point with an error.

But she atones, brings up a break point and then at 30-40 runs forward and hits the forehand winner for the break!

What a turnaround, from a set and a break down, Anisimova will now serve for the second set.

Anisimova has indeed found some rhythm. And that puts the pressure on Keys, who is scrambling out there and going for winners too early in the points.

And again Keys drills one wide, and now Anisimova is suddenly in front in the second set.

What a turnaround.

Keys serves a double fault, her third of the second set. That gets Anisimova to 30-30, and gives her half a chance.

Make that more than half a chance - Keys then sends the ball way beyond the baseline and Anisimova gets a break back.

This is a sloppy game from Keys. She finds a first serve at 30-40 though to set up a backhand down the line winner and get the score to deuce.

But Anisimova does indeed break, when Keys sends another ball long. Errors, too many errors from Keys and we are back on serve.

A serve and volley from Anisimova catches Keys by surprise, and the crowd as well who liked that one.

She comes to the net again with a swinging drive volley for another winner.

A big final serve and Anisimova is hanging in here, and looks to be playing a little better too these last couple of service games.

Keys races to 40-0 in the blink of an eye.

And she holds to love, Anisimova unable to get anything on a second serve of Keys, which kicks up high.

Again, the younger of the two Americans looks a little dejected, but this is only the one break of serve in this set, so all is not lost yet.

That is much better from Anisimova, who finds a first serve and then finds some better ground strokes to get Keys on the run.

When Keys finds the net, Anisimova gets on the board to keep it to just the one break.

This one is certainly not done yet, as the cameras pick up Keys enjoying a snack between games. She has altered her serve this season, despite winning her maiden Grand Slam earlier in the year, and it does look to be taking some time to bed in.

Keys is serving to consolidate the break. But as Anisimova continues to struggle, Keys is not exactly playing with great freedom herself as she finds the net.

At 30-30, Anisimova gets into the point, gets Keys on the run, steps forward to hit the winner and... Just pushes her backhand wide.

Keys holds for a 2-0 lead in the second set.

Anisimova opens up the second set. And she is very, very frustrated out there.

An error leads to a huge scream, as the crowd start to titter.

Keys immediately has 15-40 and two break points.

Anisimova saves the first but she cannot save the second. She looks a little upset out there at the moment, whether with a physical issue or just at her standard of play, it is hard to say.

Keys takes the opening set by just the one break, 6-4 in 36 minutes.

That was a solid hold too, with some big serves to close out the set.

Four double faults to Keys, one to Anisimova and just four winners each.

The statisticians take pity on the players and do not put up the unforced error count from that opening set though.