ALEXANDRA “ALEX” EALA settled her score with Romanian ace Elena-Gabriela Ruse with an emphatic 6-1, 3-0 (ret.) win to arrange a Round 3 duel against another titan in world No. 10 Amanda Anisimova in the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open on Sunday morning at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
The match was halted temporarily due to lightning warning and cloudy weather as Ms. Ruse opted to retire upon resumption owing to a foot injury that prompted her to call a medical timeout midway through the second set.
Ms. Eala, WTA No. 20, needed only 57 minutes to announce a roaring introduction in Cincinnati after gaining a first round-bye as the No. 17 seed, her highest seeding ever in any 1000-level tour.
“First and foremost, I just wish Gabby (Ruse) a speedy recovery. Health is the No. 1 priority for everybody so I hope she gets better soon,” said Ms. Eala, who avenged her 6-3, 1-6, 4-6 loss to WTA No. 74 Ms. Ruse in the 2024 US Open qualifiers, for a good start of her final buildup to the US Open later this month in Flushing Meadows, New York.
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