FILIPINO tennis star Alexandra Eala bowed out of the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open after absorbing a 6-4, 4-6, 2-6 loss to American Amanda Anisimova in their third-round match Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2026 (PH time), at the Lindner Family Tennis Center P&G Stadium Court.
The 9th-seeded Anisimova will next face No. 6 Linda Noskova, a 7-6(3), 6-2 winner over Danish Carla Tauson.
Eala captured her first WTA 500 title at the Mubadala DC Open two weeks ago. She also won the Guadalajara 125 Open in Zapopan, Mexico, in September last year.
The 17th-seeded Eala started strongly, taking the opening set behind clutch serving and two breaks. The left-hander saved nine of 10 break points and won 64 percent of her first-serve points.
According to a Sofascore report, she also claimed 50 percent of her first-serve return points despite four double faults, allowing her to withstand a nine-point run by Anisimova.
The American turned the match around in the second set with greater baseline pressure. Anisimova won 88 percent of her first-serve points and broke once to level the match at 6-4.
Anisimova dominated the decider, winning 61 percent of
Eala’s first-serve return points and 66 percent on second serves. She broke three times while Eala managed one break, then closed with six straight games after trailing 0-2 to win 6-2.
Anisimova finished with 54 return points won to Eala’s 37 and 16 games to 12, completing a composed comeback on hard court, according to Sofascore.
Meanwhile, No. 2 seed Erina Rybakina of Kazakhstan downed Magdalena French of Poland, 6-4, 7-6 (3), to advance against 14th seed Diana Shnaider, who won over Polish Maja Chwalinska, 6-2, 7-6 (3).
American third seed Jessica Pegula and defending Cincinnati Open champion Iga Swiatek also secured Round of 32 berths.
Pegula downed compatriot Emma Navarro, 7-5, 6-2, to advance against Romanian No. 15 Sorana Cirstea, who prevailed over No. 18 Anna Kalinskaya, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 5-0 (ret.).
Swiatek, on the other hand, conquered Greek Maria Sakkari, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, to set up a duel with French Diane Parry, who beat compatriot Lois Boisson, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
In the men’s singles competition, top seed and world No. 3 Alexander Zverev won his ATP tour-leading 46th game this season with a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (6) victory over Terence Atmane. / PNA
