Alex Eala goes up against ninth seed Amanda Anisimova of the United States in the third round of the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. (Manila time), in what is projected to be an explosive showdown between two former junior Grand Slam champions.
Both players are coming off impressive victories in the second round on Saturday after receiving opening-round byes.
The 21-year-old Eala won nine straight games in a dominant, albeit abbreviated, dismantling of Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse, 6-1, 3-0 (ret.), while the 24-year-old Anisimova made short work of Eala’s good friend Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey, 6-2, 6-3.
Eala, who won the US Open girls’ singles title in 2022, and Anisimova, the 2017 US Open girls’ singles champion, both competed in the recently concluded Canadian Open, where they were eliminated in the fourth round.
Anisimova reached a career-high No. 3 in the world in 2025 after a dream season that saw her reach the finals of both Wimbledon and the US Open. She also crowned a remarkable year by winning two WTA 1000 titles, the Doha Open and the China Open.
However, Anisimova has had a less impressive 2026 season thus far, with her best result being a semifinal finish at the WTA 1000 Dubai Tennis Championships in February. She has reached the quarterfinals just twice this year, at the Australian Open in January and the HSBC Championships in June.
Anisimova, though, has always thrived on the fast conditions of hard courts. Five of the six WTA titles she has won in her career have come on the surface.
The American will have the advantage in size and strength against Eala and will look to dictate the action from the baseline with her aggressive shotmaking. Anisimova’s two-handed backhand, considered one of the best in the women’s game, will be a constant threat, as she often uses it to search for down-the-line winners.
Eala will need to attack the ball early to prevent Anisimova from setting up for her shots. By driving the ball deep into the corners and mixing in the occasional drop shot, Eala could force Anisimova to cover as much of the court as possible.
Anisimova, however, is fleet-footed and possesses quick reflexes that allow her to chase down shots hit at sharp angles.
What could turn the tide in Eala’s favor is her ability to shorten the rallies by consistently producing quick winners. When Anisimova is unable to impose herself in exchanges, frustration can often follow.
Eala can heighten the pressure further by attacking Anisimova’s vulnerable second serve, potentially forcing the American to overthink her serve. Despite her comfortable win over Sonmez, Anisimova committed five double faults and won just 50 percent of her second-serve points.
The winner of this third-round encounter will advance to the fourth round, where she will face either Wimbledon champion and sixth seed Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic or Clara Tauson of Denmark.
