Amanda Anisimova shares a kind and honest thought about Alex Eala and the crowd after her win at the Cincinnati Open.
Amanda Anisimova won against Alex Eala at the Cincinnati Open, earning her spot in the last 16 while praising the talented Filipino player.
Eala came into the tournament feeling confident after an amazing 2026 so far. She finished 2025 ranked 53rd in the world and has climbed up to number 18 in the live WTA rankings. The 21-year-old made history as the first Filipina to win a WTA singles title by winning the Washington Open in early August. However, she lost 6-4, 6-0 to Belinda Bencic in the last 16 at the Canadian Open.
At Cincinnati, Eala was eager to keep making big wins, aiming to pass 10 victories against top-10 players. After a bye in the first round, she moved on to the third round with a walkover win over Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse. Though she has played more matches than anyone else on the WTA tour this year, Eala was the underdog against world number 10 Amanda Anisimova in the last 32.
Eala won the first set 6-4, but Anisimova bounced back by winning six games in a row and took the next two sets with some powerful play. Anisimova showed her skill and will face Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the next round. Before looking ahead, she gave a shout-out to Eala, saying, “I know Alex is a great player and a fighter. I knew this match would be tough. There were a lot of people supporting me tonight, which I really appreciated, especially knowing how much people love Alex… and for good reason. I needed that boost because it was past my bedtime!”
Eala has gained huge support since rising in the tennis world. At the Canadian Open, her match against Alycia Parks sold out fast, and one of the food vendors even changed their menu to welcome her many fans. While Anisimova aims to win this Masters 1000 event, Eala is set to take a well-earned break before her next challenge.
Eala will compete in the US Open starting August 30, hoping to win her first Grand Slam. She’ll also play in the Mixed Doubles with Felix Auger-Aliassime, which means she could be at Flushing Meadows for the entire three weeks if she does well. She’s also confirmed she’ll play at the Singapore Open, kicking off the WTA’s Asian swing on September 21, just eight days after the US Open final. After that, Eala plans to compete in the Wuhan Open and the China Open, both important WTA 1000 tournaments.