Roland Garros Tennis Boxing: Amanda Anisimova vs Donna Vekic

Tennis Boxing from Roland Garros
Amanda Anisimova vs Donna Vekic
(United States vs Croatia)
(3-0, 3 KO vs 2-0, 2 KO)

Venue: Stade Roland Garros, Court 7, Paris, France

{{ Story based on a real-life tennis match played in the second round of the French Open earlier this season. }}

BEFORE: Both these players are trending in opposite directions this season, Amanda Anisimova hopes to make the next step up the rankings ladder and firmly establish herself as a Top 20 commodity while Donna Vekic is simply looking for answers to avoid being called a flamed out former prospect at age 26! It's almost too early to write the blonde Croatian off but it's been few years since she was relevant enough to be considered a dangerous floater. She can still throw a mean punch but most pundits & fans believe she'd have to do a lot more to upstage Anisimova tonight.

Amanda Anisimova wears a lime green crop top, micro jeans shorts & black gloves. Long blonde hair tied in a braid. Donna Vekic wears a white crop top with black trim, matching hip-huggers & red gloves. Long blonde hair tied in a braid. The fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the welterweight division.

Round 1:
No chance for a slow start here as Donna jumps into a hectic jabbing assault trying to score an early number on the younger blonde but her aggressive display doesn't really force the issue as the otherwise lanky American is able to weave away from the initial pounce. Donna lands one quick hook on the jaw but bounces off Amanda's forearms too often to make a significant difference thereafter. She has to rely on pure artistic impression value heading into the second minute however she controls the American along the top before blasting her with a hard left hook on the nose. Ugh! Amanda wobbles onto the turnbuckle and has to swing back in more detrermined fashion as Vekic closes in with some vicious head shots from point blank range. She knocks another series into Amanda's face in the closing seconds and takes the opening round wide.

Round 2:
Anisimova flies in with the response and beats the older blonde to the overhand punch which sets the tone for the opening minute. Both women engage in a speedy slugfest in the center of the ring but it's Amanda who carries the better power supply and knocks Donna onto her heels before a left hook cuts a bloody patch across the nasal ridge and forces the Croatian woman into a full-scale retreat come the second minute. Amanda follows through on the pounce and lands more head shots to trap the reeling foe on the ropes where she gets clinched into safety though. Vekic refuses to slug it out and prefers to stall the action; she manages to avoid more damage by applying this tactics and the crowd let her hear it at the bell.

Round 3:
Amanda lights up the jabbing stats early in the third and the out-of-form Donna can't do much about it as she leaks several punches in the opening minute. She almost has to slug it back at the younger blonde for lack of counter-punching success but she never settles in with the better punches like she did to open this fight. Anisimova gradually punches her onto the ropes and avoids the clinching stalemate this time. She cranks up the body assault to pound Vekic's abs and enjoys a one-sided rally in the final minute when she's able to slice the older blonde's high guard at will. Donna's head snaps back in repeated fashion and she sinks on soft knee late in the going as Anisimova cleans her up with room to spare. Double A takes the lead on the cards 29-28 after three.

Round 4:
Donna seeks a slugging breakthrough early in the fourth and manages to knock some leather into Amanda's face again but fails to land that haymaker game-changer and has to buckle up for a swift response instead. Anisimova's slightly longer reach allows her to beat Vekic to the punch repeatedly and she opens another cut below the left eye which further frustrates the Croatian fighter. Donna keeps swinging back at the younger blonde but her precision goes away with every second and Anisimova clocks her with another left/right combo on each temple to send her spinning onto the ropes. Ugh! The sheer volume of the American's attacks start to pile up and leave Vekic visibly vulnerable as we enter the final minute of the round. Donna swings back in desperate fashion... finds thin air... Amanda runs her shots up the middle and bangs the older blonde into a complete standstill at the bell. Not looking great for Donna who argues with the referee over unknown issues during the interval.

Round 5:
Amanda lands one series on the temples too many and cripples Donna into loud spasms straight out of the gate... she steps into a left hook on the ear that folds the older blonde into instant trouble... Donna tries to clinch the New Jersey native right there but she only wobbles to meet a crushing uppercut on the jaw as Anisimova LIFTS HER off the canvas and sends tumbling down on the spot. Uh-oh! Big money series from the ascending blonde who keeps it very low-key in the corner as the ref issues a slow count but Donna is left sleeping on the canvas anyway. What a finish! KO5 Amanda Anisimova!!!

AFTER: No jokes about Americans in Paris this time and Amanda tones down the media hype herself: "It's still a long way to go. I know I can knock several of these girls out and Donna is going through a rough patch right now but let's see what happens later this season. Top 20 ranking is very manageable. As long as I keep winning I'll get my share of respect too. It's not like I have to worry about other things?" (laughs).

Official Result: Amanda Anisimova def. Donna Vekic KO5. (Tennis score was 6-4, 6-1).