Anisimova ends her run of near-misses, rallying past Eala for first Top 20 win since February
Amanda Anisimova dug out of a third-set break down to beat Alexandra Eala in Cincinnati, ending a months-long wait for back-to-back wins and a fresh scalp over a top 10 opponent.
Amanda Anisimova, Cincinnati 2026 | © Tom Brenner /Wick Photography for Cincinnati Open
American Amanda Anisimova, the No 9 seed, fought back from a break down in the third set to beat Filipino Alexandra Eala, the No 17 seed, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 and reach the last 16 of the Cincinnati Open on Tuesday night.
The win carried weight beyond the scoreline. It snapped Eala’s five-match winning streak against top 10 opponents and gave Anisimova her first Cincinnati last-16 since 2018. It was also the first time since the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in February that Anisimova had won two matches in a row and beaten a top 10 player in the same stretch.
Eala, ranked No 20 and among the form players on tour, broke early and served out the first set 6-4. Anisimova leveled by taking the second 6-4, her power finding the lines more often as the match wore on. Eala broke again to start the decider, leading 2-0, but Anisimova reeled the break back in and closed out the match 6-2, completing the turnaround against one of the players she came in most wary of.
“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 the match. “There was quite a bit of support for me tonight so I really appreciate that, because I know how loved Alex is – and for good reason. But I really appreciated it because I felt like I needed a pick me up in this match, because it’s past my bed time.”
Anisimova, ranked No 10, had reached this round by beating Zeynep Sonmez 6-2, 6-3. Eala advanced to face her after Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse retired while trailing 6-1, 3-0.
Anisimova will next play Czech Linda Noskova, the No 6 seed and Wimbledon champion, for a place in the quarterfinals.
Cincinnati WTA 1000, 3rd Round (Round of 32)
- A. Sabalenka (1) vs X. Wang
- S. Bejlek vs E. Alexandrova (16)
- K. Siniakova (33) vs M. Keys (19)
- X. Wang vs E. Svitolina (8)
- C. Gauff (4) vs A. Li (28)
- M. Bouzkova (22) vs I. Jovic (15)
- M. Kostyuk (10) vs S. Stephens
- J. Tjen (32) vs M. Andreeva (5)
- L. Noskova (6) d. O. Tauson (27): 7-6, 6-2
- A. Anisimova (9) d. A. Eala (17): 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
- S. Cirstea (16) vs A. Kalinskaya (19), 6-7, 6-1, 5-0, ret.
- J. Pegula (3) d. E. Navarro (25): 7-5, 6-2
- I. Swiatek (7) vs M. Sakkari (29): 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
- D. Perry d. L. Boisson: 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
- D. Shnaider (14) vs M. Chwalinska (19): 6-2, 7-6
- E. Rybakina (2) vs Frech: 6-4, 7-4
