In their first meeting, American Amanda Anisimova defeated Alexandra Eala in three sets at the 2026 Cincinnati Open. Anisimova struggled at times, dropping the first set. The pinnacle of that set was a 20 minute game in the fifth game. Eala held after 13 deuces. Eala has had a great summer. Anisimova has played a lot less tennis than Eala this year due to injuries. It was only her second Top 20 win of the year. MORE: Venus, Serena come up short against Peyton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk at Cincinnati Open Linda Noskova awaits Anisimova There is no rest for the weary as Anisimova who finished her match near 1 AM EDT Tuesday morning will face the Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova on Wednesday. Anisimova has a winning head-to-head record against Noskova 2-1. Noskova is riding the confidence of the Wimbledon victory. Defeating Eala is a huge confidence boost for Anisimova. Eala has beaten many Top 10 players this summer including Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, Naomi Osaka, and Jessica Pegula. MORE: Sloane Stephens shocks Anastasia Potapova with Cincinnati Open second round straight set win Anisimova’s best match in 2026 Anisimova has only played 20 matches this year. She has not found a winning groove in any tournament for months so this was a statement win for her over a tough competitor.
Jul 2, 2026; London, United Kingdom; Amanda Anisimova (USA) reacts after missing a shot against Sofia Kenin (USA) (not pictured) on day four of The Championships Wimbledon 2026 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
For the first time in months, there were not as many Filipino fans in attendance at Eala’s match. It could have been the time of night, but Anisimova acknowledged the fan support after her win. She said it gave her energy during the tough moments of the match. As always the emotional and expressive Anisimova is the meme queen of the internet. — Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —