Amanda Anisimova makes honest comment about Alex Eala and crowd after Cincinnati Open win

Amanda Anisimova secured victory over Alex Eala at the Cincinnati Open to book her place in the last 16, while paying tribute to the Filipino star.

Eala entered the tournament in high spirits after enjoying an incredible 2026 so far. Having ended 2025 as the world number 53, the youngster has risen to number 18 in the live WTA rankings.

The 21-year-old became the first Filipina to win a WTA singles title with victory at the Washington Open at the start of August before suffering a 6-4, 6-0 defeat to Belinda Bencic in the last 16 of the Canadian Open.

At the Cincinnati Open, Eala was determined to take more scalps by surpassing 10 victories over top-10 opponents. After receiving a bye into the second round, she advanced into the third round in style with a walkover win over Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

But Eala, who has played more matches than any other WTA player during 2026, was the underdog in her last 32 match against Amanda Anisimova, and that was how the narrative played out.

Despite winning the first set 6-4, the 2005-born star lost six games on the bounce as the world number 10 rallied past her opponent with some explosive tennis to win the last two sets.

Anisimova showcased her class to set up a mouth-watering last-16 showdown with Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, but before then, the American has paid tribute to rising star Eala.

"I know Alex is such a great player and such a fighter. I knew it was gonna be a really tough match," Anisimova said.

"There was quite a bit of support for me tonight, so I really appreciate that, because I know how loved Alex is… And for good reason.

"But I really appreciated it because I felt like I needed a pick-me-up in this match because it’s past my bedtime.”

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Eala has received unparalleled levels of support since making her breakthrough into professional tennis. At the Canadian Open, her session against Alycia Parks sold out within hours, and one of the vendors at the arena in Toronto had to change one of their food offerings to cater to the Filipino's huge following.

What does Alex Eala's schedule look like

While Anisimova will attempt to win the 1000 Masters event, Eala has earned a well-deserved break before facing her next challenge.

Eala will take part in the US Open, beginning on August 30, with the youngster hoping to win her first Grand Slam.

The 21-year-old is set to pull double duty at the Grand Slam too, as she has signed up to play the lucrative Mixed Doubles event alongside Felix Auger-Aliassime.

That means Eala will be at Flushing Meadows for the full three weeks, especially if she enjoys another deep run at a tournament.

She has also confirmed her attendance at the Singapore Open, which is one of the first tournaments of the WTA Tour's Asian swing. The event is set to start on September 21, just eight days after the US Open final.

Beyond that, Eala is expected to play at the Wuhan Open and the China Open, as they are both WTA 1000 events.