Maria was born in the Soviet Union, also the daughter of Olga Anisimova and Konsantin Anisimov. In 1998, when she was ten years old, her parents moved from Russia to the United States. Three years later, she became a big sister, when Amanda was born.

BBC Sport pundits Tracy Austin and Martina Navritalova explain how the strength and power of Amanda Anisimova put Aryna Sabalenka in the unfamiliar position of playing on the defensive, as the American 13th seed beat the world number one 6-4,