ALEX EALA improved to 8-1 won-lost matches in her North American hardcourt swing after Elena-Gabriela Ruse retired with an ankle injury while trailing 6-1, 3-0, in the Cincinnati Open on Saturday in Mason, Ohio.
‘I think that I was playing well, I think I felt the ball good, was really focused and tried to keep myself in the zone, I think I did a good job of that,’ Eala, seeded 17th in the tournament, told the media. ‘Of course, nobody likes to finish a match with a retirement, first and foremost, I just want to wish Gabriela-Ruse a speedy recovery, injuries aren›t fun, so I hope she recovers soon.’
The Filipina has won eight of her past nine matches-she captured her first Women’s Tennis Association singles title in Washington before reaching the fourth round of the National Bank Open in Toronto. This marks her first career win in Cincinnati.
‘I do think that my days have gotten a little more packed with the commitments and spending time with you guys, but obviously in a very good way, and I’m enjoying it a lot,’ Eala said about her run over the past few weeks. ‘I think it’s a good sign, and it’s helping me become, I guess, a stronger player and be more kind of established on tour.’
Eala will next face No. 9 seed American Amanda Anisimova-who defeated Zeynep Sonmez, 6-2, 6-3, earlier in the day-in the third round on Monday.
This will be the first meeting between Eala and Anisimova.
Novak Djokovic’s stay at the Cincinnati Open, meanwhile, was a short one-It also might be his last.
The 24-time major champion fell to Thiago Agustin Tirante, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, on Saturday in a match that took twp hours and 44 minutes in hot and humid conditions.
A 25-year-old from Argentina, Tirante is ranked No. 50 in the world.
Djokovic-a three-time Cincinnati champion and No. 5 in the rankings-was playing for the first time since his loss to top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the semifinals at Wimbledon.
Up next for Djokovic is the US Open, which starts August 30 in New York.
Djokovic appeared to struggle physically in the heat and had his 10-match winning streak in Cincinnati snapped and the 39-year-old told reporters that an unspecified health condition made it difficult for him to play in hot and humid weather.
‘It’s just a condition that I have, health-wise, that has been bothering me for the past couple of years,’ Djokovic said. ‘A lot of issues, especially when it is humid and it is hot. I did anticipate it [would be humid], but there are all these things, like nerves and everything involved that make it worse, and that’s what happened.’
Djokovic has had plenty of success in Cincinnati, with a 45-13 record and titles in 2018, 2020 and 2023. But he wasn’t sure he would return.
‘I certainly hope so, but it looks more likely not, unfortunately,’ Djokovic said. ‘But let’s see what the future brings.’
Djokovic saved 13 of the 15 break points he faced. Tirante broke Djokovic’s serve in the ninth game of the final set and then served it out.
‘I think this is the best win of my career,’ Tirante said. ‘I think I really did a good job inside the court. I managed very well the nerves of playing against a legend like Novak.’
American Jessica Pegula-ranked third in the tournament won the crown in 2024-beat Simona Waltert 6-3, 6-2, improving her record to 25-6 on hard courts in 2026.