Alex Eala’s Cincinnati Open campaign ended with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 defeat to world No. 10 Amanda Anisimova, who fought back to reach the Round of 16. But the match drew plenty of attention for a bizarre moment during a changeover, when Anisimova was seen drinking a fizzy beverage before later stumbling while trying to reach a shot.
The drink sparked plenty of speculation online, with some wondering whether the American had actually been drinking beer during the match. However, it was Red Bull, not beer, according to Tennis Now’s report, with cameras capturing Anisimova drinking the energy drink during the second set.
What Was Amanda Anisimova Drinking Against Alex Eala? Tennis Channel Analysts Weigh In
Amanda Anisimova’s comeback win over Alex Eala at the Cincinnati Open sparked an unexpected debate during the match, but it had nothing to do with the tennis. While Anisimova took a drink during a second-set changeover, Tennis Channel analysts Brett Haber and Lindsay Davenport tried to figure out exactly what was in the bottle.
Amanda Anisimova drinking a beer during her match against Alex 🤡 Eala then stumbles swinging at a ball… go get this win and have another Amanda 🍻 #DocKnows #cans pic.twitter.com/skaFm9OUF8
— The Doctor (@thedoctor_Tom) August 18, 2026
“What is that, Lindsay?” Brett Haber said during the broadcast, as Anisimova took a drink. “Could it be apple cider, Brett?” Lindsay Davenport replied. Haber then joked, “I mean I would never suggest that a player was drinking a beer in the middle of a match but -” Davenport responded, “I’ve never seen that,” while Haber added, “That’s certainly what it looked like. I mean it could be non-alcoholic? It could be cider? It could be anything. We don’t know.”
The mystery was eventually cleared up, though. Despite the beer and cider speculation from the commentary team, Anisimova was simply drinking Red Bull during the match. So, while the drink may have looked unusual on the broadcast, there was no beer involved.
Amanda Anisimova beats Alexandra Eala at Cincinnati Open
Alex Eala’s impressive run against top-10 opponents came to an end at the Cincinnati Open as she fell 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to world No. 10 Amanda Anisimova in the Round of 32. Eala had taken the deciding set to a 2-0 lead but could not maintain her advantage, losing six consecutive games to surrender the match after two hours and 28 minutes.
The key moment came in the fifth game of the third set, when Eala led 40-15 but failed to close it out as Anisimova won four straight points to move ahead 3-2. The American then took control and finished the match strongly, earning a fourth-round meeting with Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova. “I’m really proud of this performance, for being able to find a way and kind of push myself there in the middle of the match,” Anisimova said after the win.
The defeat ended Eala’s five-match winning streak against top-10 players, which included victories over Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina, Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula during her breakthrough run to the Washington Open title. Her 2026 record against top-10 opponents now stands at 7-3, while her overall mark is 9-5. Eala will now turn her focus to the US Open, scheduled to run from August 30 to September 13.
