Alex Eala's Path to Victory Clears with Anisimova's Withdrawal
Alex Eala returns to the tour this week with the spotlight firmly back on her, stepping into the heat of a WTA 500 in Singapore as one of the main attractions and, increasingly, one of the main threats.
This is her first appearance since the US Open. The expectation hasn’t cooled in the slightest.
A Big Name Drops Out
Before Eala has even struck a ball in Singapore, the draw has shifted in her favor.
Amanda Anisimova, the world No. 11 and second seed, has pulled out of the tournament with a left wrist injury. She had already made the trip to Singapore, but the problem proved serious enough to force her withdrawal. Lucky loser Viktoria Morvayova takes her place in the draw.
For Anisimova, it’s a cruel setback. For Eala, it’s a clear opening.
The Filipina star, ranked No. 18 and seeded third this week, had been projected to face Anisimova in the semifinals. That potential clash would have pitted her against a four-time WTA champion who reached two Grand Slam finals last season, losing to Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon and Aryna Sabalenka at the US Open.
Anisimova also holds the psychological edge in their brief history. She beat Eala in their only previous meeting, in the round of 32 at the Cincinnati Open earlier this year.
That roadblock is now gone. And the draw looks very different.
Draw Blows Wide Open
With Anisimova out, Eala suddenly stands as the second-highest-ranked player in the field, behind only top seed Mirra Andreeva. The two are now projected to collide in the final, if they can navigate their respective halves.
Andreeva opens her campaign against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, who arrives with momentum after knocking out Daria Kasatkina in the first round. That result alone hints at the volatility in this week’s field. No one is safe. No path is simple.
But the breaks keep falling Eala’s way.
She was initially on course to face Donna Vekic in a potentially tricky quarterfinal. That danger has evaporated. Vekic fell heavily in her opener, dismantled 6-1, 6-2 by Xinyu Wang. Another seeded threat gone from Eala’s projected route to the business end of the tournament.
The pressure, though, only grows with every door that swings open.
First Things First: Prozorova
For all the talk of finals and seedings, Eala’s immediate reality is far more straightforward: Tatiana Prozorova.
The Russian earned her shot at Eala by grinding past Sofia Costoulas in the opening round, and now stands as the Filipina’s first opponent in Singapore. It will be their first meeting, an unknown matchup at a time when Eala must balance expectation with execution.
One game at a time. One match at a time. That’s the mantra, even as the narrative around her keeps inflating.
Because the picture is clear now. With Anisimova gone, Vekic out, and the draw reshaped, Eala walks into this week not just as a fan favorite, but as a genuine contender for the title.
The question is no longer whether the door is open.
It’s whether she’s ready to walk straight through it.
