Alex Eala to face World No. 10 Amanda Anisimova in Cincinnati Open 3rd round
Alex Eala is set for a first-ever showdown with world No. 10 Amanda Anisimova in the third round of the Cincinnati Open on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 8:30 a.m. (Philippine time).
Eala advanced to the third round after her opponent, Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania, retired while trailing 6-1, 3-0. Anisimova, on the other hand, defeated Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sonmez in the round of 64, 6-2, 6-3.
Their upcoming match could make for an intriguing matchup, as the two have never faced each other on the professional circuit.
According to their head-to-head stats, Anisimova holds a clear edge in experience and major career milestones. The 24-year-old American has won four singles titles, reached a career-high ranking of No. 3, and earned more than $13.8 million (P848 million) in career prize money.
In comparison, the 21-year-old Eala has one WTA singles title, reached a career-high ranking of No. 20, and accumulated $2.99 million (P183 million) in earnings.
Anisimova also holds the statistical advantage in several key areas this season. She has hit 90 aces this season compared to Eala's 66, won a higher percentage of her first-serve points, 65.7% to 62.6%. She has also won 59.1% of her service points, compared to Eala's 57.1%.
Furthermore, Anisimova boasts better return figures, winning 40.3% of her return games compared to Eala's 36.8%.
However, the Filipina holds a slight edge in second-serve points won (47.5% to 46.9%) and has played significantly higher match volume this season—logging 502 service games and 494 return games compared to Anisimova's 283 and 278, respectively.
When it comes to play styles, Eala, 21, is a left-hander standing at 5-foot-9, while the 24-year-old Anisimova is a right-hander who stands at 5-foot-11.
Ahead of their match, Anisimova said in an interview that she is expecting a "really fun" match against Eala.
"I haven't played her before. She's been having such an incredible season, incredible year and very great player with a lot of fans so I'm really looking forward to that," she said.
"I know that it's probably gonna be a very packed stadium. I'm sure it will be really fun," she added.
Eala, meanwhile expressed her gratitude towards her fans after her match with Ruse, saying, her debut in Cincinnati is "so special" and that she "hope[s] to see you guys in the next round."
Eala recently won her first-ever WTA singles title at the Mubadala DC Open. Following this, she has continued to build momentum on the hard court, reaching the fourth round of the Canadian Open before her campaign came to an end.
The Cincinnati Open will run from Aug. 13 to 23.
