World No. 10 Amanda Anisimova will face Alexandra Eala for the first time in Cincinnati.
Richard PagliaroAugust 15, 20261 minute read
By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, August 15, 2026
Photo credit: Vaughn Ridley/Getty
Cincinnati will host a showdown of shotmakers.
US Open finalist Amanda Anisimova swept Zeynep Sonmez 6-2, 6-3 today to set up a Cincinnati Open blockbuster vs. Washington, DC champion Alexandra Eala.
Two-time major finalist Anisimova smacked seven aces and broke serve six times in a 76-minute victory over the first player from Turkey to appear in the Cincinnati Open main draw in the Open Era.
The ninth-seeded Anisimova improved to 13-7 on hard courts this season setting up what figures to be a stadium clash vs. Eala.
Earlier, Eala dropped serve to open then stormed through nine straight games to seize a 6-1, 3-0, retired win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
The 17th-seeded Eala wanted to continue play when thunderstorms in the area prompted the chair umpire to suspend play at about 12:06 p.m.
“I think I played really well,” Eala said. “I think I held my level the whole match so I’m really happy.”
When the skies eventually cleared more than an hour later, Ruse retired due to a foot injury.
It was Eala’s eighth win in her last nine matches. Eala carved Ruse up from the baseline, scoring drives down the line off both wings. Eala improved to 38-19 on the season.