Tennis player Amanda Anisimova drew attention during her match at the Cincinnati Open after appearing to sip an amber-colored liquid from a plastic cup. She was playing against Alexandra Eala when spectators noticed her taking a drink during the match. The liquid looked like beer to many viewers and commentators. This led to confusion among the on-court announcers who tried to guess what she was consuming. One of the commentators said he would never suggest a player was drinking alcohol during a match. Another suggested it might be non-alcoholic cider or something else entirely.
The unusual drink appeared during a second-set changeover as Anisimova was trying to turn the match around after losing the opening set 4-6. Eala had made the stronger start, but Anisimova responded by taking the second set 6-4. That made the courtside beverage mystery an unexpected subplot in what had already developed into a competitive match between the two players.
Anisimova seemed to keep the cup mostly hidden during the match but took a visible sip when she did, according to marca.com. The mystery was resolved after a court-side camera operator confirmed that she had requested and received a Red Bull energy drink, according to a report from Yahoo Sports.
She went on to win the match, defeating Eala in three sets, AOL reported. Anisimova was praised for her performance and said she felt supported by fans during the match.
Anisimova completed the comeback by taking control in the deciding set, winning it 6-2 after dropping the opening set. The American was able to maintain her composure despite the attention surrounding the unusual courtside moment, finishing strongly against Eala and securing another victory as the Cincinnati tournament moved into its later rounds.
The victory advanced her to the round of 16 where she was scheduled to face Linda Noskova. Despite the confusion over what she was drinking, Anisimova’s match performance remained the focus of attention.
The incident highlighted how even small actions during a match can spark debate among fans and commentators alike.
Correction: Anisimova did not win in straight sets. She lost the first set and defeated Eala 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
IMAGE: Amanda Anisimova at 2017 French Open. Photo: Sportsfan77777 / Wikimedia, taken 2017-06-05, CC BY-SA 4.0