Alex Eala opens Cincinnati Open campaign vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse

Philippines’ Alexandra Eala celebrates a point against United States’ Caty McNally during a National Bank Open tennis match in Toronto on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala battles Elena Gabriela-Ruse of Romania in the second round of the 2026 Cincinnati Open on Saturday in Mason, Ohio.

Eala, who earned a first-round bye as the 17th seed, plays her second consecutive WTA 1000 tournament against a foe she hasn’t faced in two years.

Ruse took down Magda Linette of Poland, 6-0, 6-3, to forge a duel with Eala.

The Filipino tennis ace last battled Ruse, currently the world No.77, in the US Open qualifiers in 2024. The Romanian eked out a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 win.

But since then, Eala has been on a steady rise and is playing her best tennis this season, highlighted by a breakthrough WTA Tour title run in the Mubadala DC Open.

The 21-year-old Filipino is currently ranked world No.20 after a historic run at Wimbledon, where she reached the round of 16.

The winner between Eala and Ruse will face the survivor of the other match between No. 9 seed Amanda Anisimova and Zeynep Sonmez.

In last year’s Cincinnati Open, the final warm-up to the US Open, Eala had to withdraw due to a shoulder injury.

She played in the Canadian Open in Toronto last week, bowing out to Belinda Bencic in the Round of 16.