Alex Eala had the perfect opening act in the Round of 32 in Cincinnati. Unfortunately for the Filipina tennis trailblazer, Amanda Anisimova had a better idea for the ending.
Eala stunned the World No. 10 American in the opening set, 6-4, raising hopes that her Cincinnati Open debut could become another headline-making chapter in her rapidly growing career.
Everything clicked. For a while.
Serving first, Eala settled quickly and showed the fearless tennis that has made her one of the Philippines’ brightest sporting stars. She absorbed Anisimova’s power, extended rallies, and pounced whenever the American’s usually reliable strokes wandered.
The fifth game became an endurance contest disguised as a service game. Eala survived eight break points and 13 deuces before finally holding, pumping her fist as if she had just won the set.
She would need every ounce of that energy.
Anisimova eventually broke through at 4-3 after an Eala double fault, but the Filipina immediately punched back, breaking to level at 4-4. Another string of Anisimova errors handed Eala the lead, 5-4, before Eala broke to love to close out the set.
Then came the plot twist.
Anisimova, a four-time WTA champion and former World No. 3, rediscovered the range that made her one of the tour’s most dangerous players. The American took the second set, 6-4, before accelerating in the decider and closing out the match, 6-2.
The Round of 32 loss stings for Eala, particularly after such an electric start. But Cincinnati still gave her something worth celebrating.
Her main-draw victory over Elena-Gabriela Ruse is projected to lift Eala to No. 18 in the WTA rankings from No. 20, a significant jump as the season heads toward its biggest remaining stage.
That ranking could prove particularly valuable before the seedings are finalized for the US Open, the season’s final Grand Slam.
So while Anisimova ended Eala’s Cincinnati campaign, the Filipina leaves with ranking points, momentum, and a potentially better position in the draw at Flushing Meadows.
Cincinnati did not give Eala the deep run she wanted. But it offered another reminder that she belongs in this neighborhood.
And the next time she knocks on the door, she may not be asking permission to enter.
