Alex Eala's Path Opens Up at Singapore Open After Anisimova Withdrawal
Alex Eala returns to the tour this week in Singapore with the familiar weight of expectation on her shoulders and, suddenly, a draw that looks far more inviting than it did a few days ago.
The world No. 18 is playing her first event since the US Open, stepping straight into a WTA 500 packed with big names and bigger ambitions. She also steps into a spotlight that has only grown harsher in recent months. Eala has become one of the most followed players in the women’s game, a flagbearer for Philippine tennis and a genuine star wherever she goes.
Anisimova blow becomes Eala boost
The biggest jolt to the Singapore Open came before Eala had even struck a ball. Amanda Anisimova, the world No. 11 and second seed, arrived intending to play but has been forced to pull out with a left wrist injury. Her place in the draw goes to lucky loser Viktoria Morvayova.
For Anisimova, it is a bitter setback. For Eala, it changes everything.
The American was projected to be Eala’s semifinal opponent, a looming obstacle with serious pedigree. Anisimova owns four WTA titles and reached two Grand Slam finals last season, pushing deep at both Wimbledon and the US Open before losing to Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka respectively.
She also holds a winning record over Eala, having beaten her in their only meeting so far, in the Cincinnati Open round of 32 earlier this year. That history mattered. It gave their potential Singapore clash a sharp edge.
Now that threat is gone. And with it, a major barrier in Eala’s half of the draw.
The withdrawal has blown the tournament wide open. A field that looked top-heavy suddenly feels more fluid, and Eala, already a dangerous seed, becomes one of the central favourites almost by default.
One match at a time
Publicly, though, the story shrinks to a single name: Tatiana Prozorova.
Eala’s first opponent is the Russian, who battled past Sofia Costoulas in the opening round to earn a shot at the No. 3 seed. It will be the first meeting between Eala and Prozorova, a fresh matchup and a test of how quickly the Filipina can find her rhythm after her post–US Open break.
This is where the noise has to fade. The projections, the paths, the “wide-open draw” talk — all of it means nothing if she does not handle the early rounds with authority.
New hierarchy, new targets
With Anisimova out, the seeding order shifts. Eala, originally the third seed, now stands as the second-highest-ranked player in the tournament behind top seed Mirra Andreeva.
The two are on course to collide in the final if they both navigate their halves. Andreeva opens her campaign against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, who arrived with confidence after knocking out Daria Kasatkina. That side of the draw still has teeth.
So does Eala’s, but some of the sharper edges have been filed down.
Even before she hits the court, the 19-year-old has watched another potential roadblock disappear. She had been projected to face Donna Vekic in the quarterfinals, a seasoned campaigner with the weapons to trouble any top-20 player. Instead, Vekic fell heavily at the first hurdle, crushed 6-1, 6-2 by Xinyu Wang in her opener.
What looked like a gauntlet is starting to resemble an opportunity.
A tournament there for the taking
None of this guarantees anything. Draws don’t win trophies; performances do. But as the Singapore Open gathers pace, the landscape around Eala has shifted in her favour in a way few could ignore.
The stars have moved. The bracket has softened. The path, at least on paper, has cleared.
Now it comes down to whether Alex Eala can turn this sudden slice of fortune into the kind of week that confirms her status not just as a rising star, but as a champion in waiting.
