Alex Eala saw her Cincinnati Open campaign come to an end after surrendering an early lead to world No. 10 Amanda Anisimova, 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, in a hard-fought Round-of-32 battle Tuesday afternoon.
Alex Eala Draws First Blood
The 17th-seeded Filipina came out aggressively against the ninth-seeded American, who entered the match after a convincing second-round victory. Despite an error-filled opening set from both players, Eala managed to stay composed when it mattered most.
The two exchanged the opening four games before Eala survived a marathon fifth game that featured 13 deuces. Two errors from Anisimova eventually gave Eala the crucial break and a 3-2 advantage.
After Anisimova briefly regained the lead, Eala responded by winning the final three games, including a dominant 10th game capped by a powerful backhand winner to secure the opening set, 6-4.
Amanda Anisimova Fights Back in Second Set
The 21-year-old Eala carried her momentum into the second set, taking an early 3-2 lead as both players continued trading games.
However, the 29-year-old Anisimova gradually found her rhythm and began applying more pressure with her powerful serves and aggressive baseline play. The American won three consecutive games to move ahead, 5-3.
The Filipina refused to surrender the set without a fight, cutting the deficit to 5-4. The American, though, held firm in the next game to claim the second set, 6-4, and force a deciding frame.
Alex Eala Falters Late
The world No. 20 appeared poised to regain control at the start of the third set.
The Quezon City native opened the decider by breaking Anisimova’s serve and followed it with a hold to establish a 2-0 advantage. Back-to-back backhand winners in the second game helped Eala seize the early momentum.
However, Anisimova quickly turned the match around.
The American began dictating rallies with her heavy serves and aggressive returns, while Eala struggled to maintain the intensity she displayed earlier. Anisimova broke Eala three times and stormed through the final six games.
She eventually closed out the match, 6-2, after two hours and 28 minutes.
Next Stop: US Open
The defeat snapped Alex Eala’s six-match winning streak against Top 10 opponents and brought her Cincinnati campaign to a close.
She first won against Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the Round of 64 after the Romanian was forced to retire due to a foot injury.
Eala now turns her attention to the US Open, which is scheduled to begin on August 30 in Flushing Meadows, New York. She will have nearly two weeks to rest, recover, and prepare for her next major challenge.
