Alex Eala has now exacted revenge on seven consecutive opponents who previously defeated her, with Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania becoming the latest victim.
The 17th-seeded Eala returned to tournament action after a four-day break and showed renewed energy, drubbing the 28-year-old Romanian, 6-1, 3-0 (ret.), in the second round of the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open on Saturday.
Ruse had dealt Eala a heartbreaking 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 loss in the final qualifying round of the 2024 US Open. It was the third time that year that a teenage Eala fell in the final round of Grand Slam qualifying.
That loss may have been on Eala’s mind as she put on a merciless display of dominance against Ruse at the 4,000-capacity Tony Talbert Stadium 3 of the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
After dropping her serve in the opening game, Eala quickly dispelled any notion that Ruse posed a serious threat.
The 21-year-old Filipina broke the Romanian three times to seize control of the first set, firing nine winners against Ruse’s seven while forcing her opponent into 11 errors.
Eala blanked Ruse for the rest of the set to take the opener, 6-1.
Eala maintained her level in the second set, breaking Ruse twice to build a 3-0 advantage.
The world No. 77 Romanian, who reached the semifinals of the WTA 500 Upper Austria Ladies Linz in April and the WTA 500 Bad Homburg in June, caught a brief respite when play was suspended due to weather in the fourth game.
It proved to be merely a delay of the inevitable, as Ruse retired before play could resume.
Eala thus advanced to the third round, where ninth seed Amanda Anisimova of the United States awaits.
The 2025 Wimbledon and US Open finalist defeated Eala’s friend, Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey, 6-2, 6-3, in the second round.
