Anisimova and Krejcikova Withdraw From Singapore Tennis Open, Boosting Eala

Second seed Amanda Anisimova withdrew from the Singapore Tennis Open on September 22, 2026, because of a left wrist injury, followed by two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova’s withdrawal with a lower back injury, reshaping the draw at the WTA 500 event and handing a significant boost to Filipina No. 3 seed Alex Eala.

The world No. 11 Anisimova, who had received a first-round bye at OCBC Arena in The Kallang, was scheduled to face Australia’s Talia Gibson in the second round before pulling out. “No. 2 seed Amanda Anisimova withdrew from the Singapore Tennis Open on Tuesday because of a left wrist injury,” the WTA said in a statement confirming the news, adding that lucky loser Viktoria Morvayova would take her place in the draw.

Direct Answer: What Happened at the Singapore Tennis Open

Two seeded players exited the Singapore Tennis Open within 24 hours of each other this week. Anisimova, the tournament’s second seed, withdrew on September 22, 2026, with a left wrist injury, and Krejcikova followed with a lower back injury, according to the official WTA draw sheet updated September 23, 2026. The withdrawals leave Eala, ranked a career-high world No. 18, as the highest-ranked player remaining in the bottom half of the draw, improving her path toward the later rounds of the WTA 500 tournament running September 21-27 at OCBC Arena.

Anisimova’s Wrist Injury Forces Early Exit

Anisimova traveled to Singapore for the tournament but was ultimately unable to compete. The WTA confirmed in its official report that the American, seeded second and ranked world No. 11, withdrew on September 22 due to a left wrist injury before playing her opening match. She had been due to open her tournament in the second round against Gibson after receiving a bye as one of the event’s top seeds. Her spot in the draw was filled by lucky loser Viktoria Morvayova, who now faces Gibson instead.

The withdrawal is notable because Anisimova was the highest-ranked player in Eala’s half of the draw. “Amanda Anisimova, the No. 2 seed and the highest-ranked player in Eala’s half of the Singapore Tennis Open draw, withdrew because of a left wrist injury, the WTA announced,” according to reporting from Yahoo Sports, which tracked the immediate impact on the bottom half of the bracket.

Krejcikova Also Pulls Out With Back Injury

Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam champion, was also listed as withdrawn on the official WTA draw sheet published September 23, 2026, with the reason given as a lower back injury. Coverage from TennisUpToDate noted that Krejcikova had opened her Singapore campaign with a three-set win over Anna-Lena Friedsam before her tournament ended prematurely. The Straits Times, reporting on the tournament’s OCBC Arena venue and the broader field of seeds, described the event as having been “dealt another blow” following the twin withdrawals, after world No. 3 Jessica Pegula had already pulled out ahead of the tournament, which in turn elevated Mirra Andreeva to the top seed and Eala to No. 3.

The exact reporting on Krejcikova’s ranking and further statement has not been independently detailed beyond the official draw confirmation as of this report.

Withdrawal Timeline

Eala’s Draw Position Improves

With Anisimova out, Eala is now the top-ranked player remaining in the bottom half of the draw. The Filipina, seeded third and ranked a career-high world No. 18, retained her first-round bye and is set to open her tournament in the second round against Russia’s Tatiana Prozorova, who advanced with a come-from-behind 5-7, 7-6, 6-2 win over Sofia Costoulas. Yahoo Sports reported the shift directly, stating that Eala “will open” against Prozorova with a clearer route through the draw following Anisimova’s exit. No walkover was recorded in Eala’s section — the immediate effect of Anisimova’s withdrawal was structural, elevating Eala’s status in the bracket rather than advancing her a round.

Elsewhere in the tournament, Donna Vekic was eliminated by Xinyu Wang 6-1, 6-2, Alycia Parks defeated lucky loser Mei Yamaguchi, and Oleksandra Oliynykova beat Vivian Wolff, according to WTA results tracked as of September 23. Top seed Mirra Andreeva and Eala remain the headline names left in the draw heading into the second round.

Why It Matters for the WTA 500 Event

The Singapore Tennis Open is competing in its first edition as a WTA 500 event, having been upgraded from WTA 250 status and moved from February to September on the calendar. The tournament, held September 21-27 at OCBC Arena, already lost Pegula before it began; the successive exits of Anisimova and Krejcikova mark the third and fourth seeded or notable withdrawal of tournament week, according to the official WTA draw. For a debut WTA 500 edition in Singapore, consecutive high-profile withdrawals represent a test of the event’s depth, though replacements via lucky losers have kept the draw at full capacity.

For background on the tournament’s upgraded status and venue, see Daily Match Report’s earlier coverage of the Singapore Tennis Open’s move to WTA 500 level at OCBC Arena.

What to Watch Next

• Eala’s second-round match against Tatiana Prozorova, her tournament opener following the bye
• Whether Krejcikova’s back injury affects her availability for upcoming Asian swing events
• Top seed Mirra Andreeva’s progress as the tournament’s new highest-ranked player following Pegula’s and Anisimova’s exits
• Lucky loser Viktoria Morvayova’s second-round match against Talia Gibson in Anisimova’s vacated slot

Limitations: Krejcikova’s exact ranking at the time of withdrawal and a direct personal statement from her were not available in official reporting as of this article’s publication; this report relies on the confirmed WTA draw sheet for that detail. This article covers developments up to September 23, 2026; later rounds of the tournament, running through September 27, may further alter the draw.