Metro Manila, Philippines – Alex Eala fell short against world No. 10 Amanda Anisimova in a fierce three-set encounter, 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, in the Round of 32 of the Cincinnati Open – a WTA 1000 tournament – on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
The 21-year-old Eala, ranked 17th in the tournament, powered through in the first set which was highlighted by 13 deuces.
Eala struggled to keep the momentum going as Anisimova fought back hard in the second set with grit and composure to force a decider.
The Filipina ace looked like she was on her way to building a commanding lead after taking a 2-0 edge in the third set, but Anisimova won the next six games to grab the victory.
“I know Alex is such a great player and such a fighter. I knew it was gonna be a really tough match,” Anisimova said after her victory.
Anisimova snapped Eala’s five-match win streak against top 10 players and marked her first trip to the Cincinnati Open Round of 16 since 2018.
Eala will now prepare for the U.S. Open, the final grand slam of the year, which will run from Aug. 23 to Sept. 13 in New York.
