Familiar faces stand in the way of Alex Eala as she begins her final build-up for the US Open.
Armed with her highest seeding ever in a WTA 1000 event, Eala will open her campaign against either Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania or Magda Linette of Poland in Round 2 of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
As the No. 17 seed, the Filipina ace earned a first-round bye, giving her an extra day to prepare while she awaits the winner from the Round of 64. She is expected to return to action on Friday, depending on the first-round schedule.
It will be no walk in the park.
Eala does not own a winning record against either potential opponent. She is 0-1 against Ruse, world No. 77, after a 6-3, 1-6, 4-6 loss in the 2024 US Open qualifiers.
Against Linette, world No. 68, her head-to-head is even at 2-2. She dropped their first two meetings – 6-7, 1-6 in the 2024 Abu Dhabi Open and 4-6, 3-6 in the 2025 Nottingham Open – before bouncing back with wins in the ASB Classic in Auckland (6-3, 6-2) and the Miami Open (6-3, 7-6).
Analyst projections have No. 10 Amanda Anisimova of the US waiting in the third round, and No. 7 Linda Noskova of Czechia in the Round of 16. Should she advance further, the path could lead to No. 3 Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals, No. 8 Iga Swiatek in the semifinals and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final.