Bring ‘em on
Eala ready for war vs world No. 10 Anisimova

Alex Eala smashes her way to a revenge win over Gabriela Ruse of Romania, 6-1, 3-0 (retired) to advance in the Round of 32 of the Cincinnati Open.
MATTHEW STOCKMAN/agence france-presse
Eala ready for war vs world No. 10 Anisimova

Alex Eala smashes her way to a revenge win over Gabriela Ruse of Romania, 6-1, 3-0 (retired) to advance in the Round of 32 of the Cincinnati Open.
MATTHEW STOCKMAN/agence france-presse

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They just keep on coming.
Alex Eala will have another Top 10 test when she faces world No. 10 and home bet Amanda Anisimova in the Round of 32 of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
It will be the first meeting between the Anisimova, 24, and Eala, 21, in the prestigious Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 tournament, which serves as the final stop before the US Open starts on 30 August in New York City.
Eala will be gunning for her 10th career victory over a top 10 player.
The Washington Open champion has already defeated Iga Swiatek of Poland and Elina Svitolina of Ukraine twice, while also scoring wins over American stars Madison Keys, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, as well as Jasmine Paolini of Italy and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.
Eala advanced to the Round of 32 after world No. 77 Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania retired while trailing 6-1, 3-0 in the Round of 64.
For Eala, however, the result mattered less than the way she started the match.
The early finish also allowed her to conserve energy ahead of a considerably tougher assignment against Anisimova.
“I think that I was playing well, I think I felt the ball good, was really focused and tried to keep myself in the zone. I think I did a good job of that,” Eala said.
“Of course, nobody likes to finish a match with a retirement. First and foremost, I just want to wish Gabriela Ruse a speedy recovery. Injuries aren’t fun, so I hope she recovers soon.”
Eala has also had to adjust to increased attention off the court as her profile continues to rise on the WTA Tour.
“My days have gotten a little more packed with the commitments and spending time with you guys (the media), but obviously in a very good way, and I’m enjoying it a lot,” Eala said.
“I think it’s a good sign, and it’s helping me become, I guess, a stronger player and be more kind of established on tour.”
Should Eala overcome Anisimova, she will face either world No. 13 Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic or world No. 42 Clara Tauson of Denmark in the Round of 16.
Anisimova, however, will not be an easy opponent.
The Doha Open champion advanced after eliminating world No. 50 Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey in the Round of 64 and is looking forward to playing in front of another packed crowd.
Knowing Eala will have a legion of Filipino fans behind her, Anisimova said she is excited to feed off the atmosphere.
“She has a great fan base. And it looks like an incredible atmosphere every time she steps out to play a match. I’m really, really looking forward to it,” Anisimova said in the post-game show.
“I love a packed stadium and I love a good atmosphere. I’m sure it will be a great match, even though they will probably be rooting more for her end. But I don’t mind it and I’ll try to thrive off of the energy.”