By Shrivathsa Sridhar
LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) - Amanda Anisimova said having friends and family around her helped make Wimbledon feel like a second home, as the American hopes to draw on that support in her bid to produce another strong display in London.
Anisimova was joined by her sister and her family during her run to last year's final, with her young nephew Jackson becoming a familiar presence in the stands and celebrating with her on the court after her quarter-final win.
After her 6-3 6-2 win
over Lina Gjorcheska in the first round on Tuesday, Anisimova said her sister Maria had already made travel plans in anticipation of another charge after she lost 6-0 6-0 to Iga Swiatek in last year's championship match.
"To be able to celebrate all the wins with them and also celebrate after the tournament was memorable and special for all of us," Anisimova told reporters.
"I'm still waiting till my nephew gets a bit older to be able to understand when he looks back at the video. I'll give it a few more years. My sister said she bought a flight ticket a few months ago just in case for the later rounds.
"So hopefully I'll make it till then and she'll be able to come again. Since I have my in-laws here, it's a big family and they love spending time with each other. And then also getting to watch me at Wimbledon is a cool experience for them."
Anisimova's Wimbledon breakthrough last year was followed by a run to the U.S. Open final, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka, but she said both major tournaments had a place in her heart.
"This one's definitely a special Grand Slam for me. I feel like it's my second home tournament in a way because I have my family, and I already have a few friends out here watching me play, which is really nice," she added.
"I get to go and hang out with them later. That always helps, especially at the Grand Slams, when I have that support system around me."
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar; Editing by Alison Williams)
