Alexandra Eala’s Cincinnati Open debut came to a halt on Monday night in the Queen City, as Amanda Anisimova rallied for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over the 21-year-old in third-round action at the Cincinnati Open.
Eala, who drops to 7-3 against the Top 10 in 2026, was broken in her final three service games of the match as Anisimova took over the contest and matched her career-best result in Cincinnati by reaching the round of 16.
The victory marked Anisimova’s 36th career Top 20 win.
Eala’s incredible fan base follows the highest-ranked Filipion tennis player in history wherever she goes, but Anisimova received much of the fan support on the big Stadium in Cincinnati, in a match that concluded just before 1am on a day that had several short rain delays.
“Alex is such a great player and such a fighter, so I knew it was gonna be a really tough match,” she said. “There was quite a bit of support for me tonight, so I really appreciate that, because… I know how loved Alex is, and for good reason.
“I really appreciated it, because I felt like I needed a pick-me-up in this match, because it’s past my bedtime.”
On-court cameras caught Anisimova chugging a sudsy beverage during a changeover in the second set, and Tennis Channel commentators wondered if it might have been beer. Turns out it was a Red Bull.
She was frustrated early on, thanks to Eala’s relentless pursuit of the ball, but 24-year-old Anisimova was able to weather the storm, catch a buzz and dial in her powerful backhand, which helped set the tone down the stretch. More than anything it was Anisimova’s ability to stay composed and on-mission when the match hung in the balance in the second set that made the difference.
She won the final four games of the middle set and finished the match winning 10 of 12 games against the Filipino sensation, who won the DC Open title earlier this summer and is playing a career-high ranking of No.20 (compared to No.68 at this time last year).
“I’m really proud of his performance, for being able to find a way and push myself there in the middle of the match. I’m really happy with the way I was able to find my tennis and start fighting,” she said.
Anisimova will face Linda Noskova, this year’s Wimbledon champion, next.
“Another great player, just off of a Grand Slam title, so she’s playing some great tennis, but I’m just gonna try and enjoy my win tonight.”
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