Alex Eala made a commanding return to action at the Cincinnati Open, advancing to the Round of 32 after Elena-Gabriela Ruse retired from their second-round encounter on Sunday morning.
The 17th-seeded Filipina was leading the Romanian, 6-1, 3-0, when Ruse was forced to pull out because of a right foot injury during a weather suspension at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
Eala Takes Complete Control in the Opening Set
Eala initially endured a difficult opening game as Ruse broke her serve. However, the World No. 20 quickly settled into the contest and completely shifted the momentum.
After holding serve to move ahead 2-1, Eala began dictating the exchanges with powerful returns and tricky serves that repeatedly troubled Ruse.
The Filipina rattled off six consecutive games to close out the opening set, 6-1. She continued her dominant performance in the second, extending her winning streak to nine straight games while racing to a 3-0 advantage.
Eala’s return game proved particularly effective, as she consistently put pressure on Ruse’s service games and prevented the Romanian from establishing any rhythm.
Right Foot Injury Ends Ruse’s Challenge
Ruse’s struggles were compounded by an apparent foot or ankle injury. After the third game of the second set, the Romanian requested a medical timeout to have the affected area taped.
Play eventually resumed, but with Eala serving in the fourth game, officials suspended the match because of lightning and approaching rain.
The delay ultimately marked the end of the contest. Ruse decided not to continue, handing Eala a walkover victory and a place in the Round of 32.
Eala Gets Revenge and Targets Amanda Anisimova Next
The victory also allowed Eala to even her head-to-head record against Ruse at 1-1.
The Romanian previously defeated her, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, during the 2024 US Open qualifying tournament, denying Eala a chance to make her first Grand Slam main-draw appearance at the time.
Eala now owns 11 wins in her last 13 matches dating back to her breakthrough WTA 500 title run in Washington. She also reached the Round of 16 in Toronto before losing to Belinda Bencic.
Next up is a major test against ninth seed and World No. 10 Amanda Anisimova, who defeated Zeynep Sonmez, 6-2, 6-3.
The matchup will give Eala another opportunity to secure a victory over a Top 10 opponent as she continues her Cincinnati campaign.
