Amanda Anisimova and Alex Eala are on course for a compelling third-round showdown at the Cincinnati Open.

Eala moved through after Elena-Gabriela Ruse stopped in the second set, while Anisimova advanced with a straight-sets win over Zeynep Sonmez in her first match. The pair are separated by only eight spots in the WTA Tour live rankings, which gives this match a notable place among the tournament’s early rounds.

They have not faced each other on the WTA Tour before, and Anisimova addressed the challenge of meeting one of the tour’s most in-form players after her latest win. Speaking during her on-court interview after defeating Sonmez, Anisimova said: “I haven’t played her before. She’s been having such an incredible season.. very great player with a lot of fans.

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“I’m really looking forward to that,” she continued. “I know it’s probably gonna be a very packed stadium. I’m sure it will be really fun.”

Anisimova’s 2026 campaign has not yet fully reflected the level she produced when reaching back-to-back Grand Slam finals in 2026. Her strongest results this season have come at the Australian Open, where she reached the semi finals, and at the Dubai Tennis Championships, where Jessica Pegula beat her in the semi finals.

Eala, by contrast, has compiled the best run of her WTA Tour career so far. She won a Challenger at the Birmingham Open, then reached the semi finals of the Berlin Open and the fourth round of Wimbledon on grass. She added more momentum on the North American hardcourt swing by winning the Washington Open and making the round of 16 at the Canadian Open.

Her victory over Gabriela-Ruse at the Cincinnati Open pushed her up two places in the WTA Tour live rankings to world No 18.

The contest now carries extra weight because the ranking gap between them has never been smaller. Anisimova remains ahead in the WTA Tour standings, but Eala has won 20 more matches this year. Eala’s 38 wins and 57 matches suggest she may also arrive with the greater match rhythm, while Anisimova has 18 wins from 28 matches in 2026.

Alex Eala is through to the third round of the Cincinnati Open, although the manner of her progress left little room for celebration.

The Filipina was leading Elena-Gabriela Ruse by a set and 3-0 when the Romanian was forced to retire because of injury. The result gave Eala her 11th victory in 13 matches since Wimbledon and moved her one step further in a draw that has already asked plenty of her.

Eala will next meet Amanda Anisimova in what will be their first meeting on the WTA Tour. Before turning fully to that challenge, she made sure to acknowledge the opponent whose match ended early.

Speaking in The Tennis Channel studios after the win, Eala opened by praising Ruse and sending her a direct message.

“Like you said, I think it’s unfortunate that we weren’t able to continue the match and, first and foremost, just wish Gabby a speedy recovery,” said the Filipina star.

“Health is, I think, number one priority for everybody. So, hope she gets better soon,” she continued, before assessing her own performance in the match.

I think I played really well,” she explained. “I think I found my groove and I was able to hold that until I guess the end of the match. So, really happy with it. Yeah.”

If Eala gets past Anisimova, she would move on to face either Linda Noskova or Clara Tauson. The route ahead could also include Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, and Aryna Sabalenka.

For now, the important development is that the Cincinnati Open is already adding ranking points to Eala’s total. She did not play the event last year, so reaching the third round ensures she will collect points and continue to rise.

In the live WTA Tour rankings, Eala is up to world No 18. She has moved ahead of Ekaterina Alexandrova, who went out in the round of 64, and Jasmine Paolini, who withdrew injured at the start of the week.

Eala is also only 18 ranking points behind Sorana Cirstea in 17th place, although the Romanian remains in the tournament and could still meet her in the quarter-finals.

Novak Djokovic’s first appearance at the Cincinnati Open since 2023 ended quickly, with the veteran falling in his opening match and leaving the court after a difficult afternoon in hot, humid conditions.

Playing for the first time since his Wimbledon semi-final defeat to Jannik Sinner last month, Djokovic began well enough by taking the opening set. But the match then turned sharply as Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina grew into the contest and Djokovic struggled to cope with the conditions.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion appeared uncomfortable throughout the latter stages, at one point gesturing toward his box as he tried to understand why he was having so much trouble managing the heat. His energy dropped as the match went on, and he was sick on court before eventually losing 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

After the match, Djokovic was asked whether this might have been his last outing in Cincinnati. He did not close the door completely, but his answer carried uncertainty.

“I certainly hope so, but it looks more likely not, unfortunately. But let’s see what the future brings.”

He also pointed to the physical issues that have been affecting him in recent years, saying they become especially difficult when the weather is humid and hot.

“It’s just the condition that I have health-wise,” he stated. “It’s been bothering me for the last couple of years. And a lot of issues, especially when it’s humid and hot.”

“It is all these things. Nerves and everything involved makes it worse. So that’s what happened.”

For Tirante, the result was the most significant win of his career. He handled the pressure of facing one of the sport’s most accomplished players and stayed composed when the key moments arrived.

“This is the best win of my career,” declared Tirante. “I really did a good job on the court. I managed very well the nerves of playing against a legend like Novak. Now I feel relieved.

“It is all so much pressure when you cannot break [serve]. I had so many points to break and I couldn’t, so that was the key. Keep believing in myself with my team and think about it after the match.”