Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 18

Amanda Anisimova's Mid-Match Drink Confirmed as Red Bull After 6-2 Cincinnati Set Win

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 18

Amanda Anisimova's Mid-Match Drink Confirmed as Red Bull After 6-2 Cincinnati Set Win

Q: Why did Amanda Anisimova hide her mid-match energy drink under a towel, sparking wild rumors of a rule-breaking beer break?

Amanda Anisimova appears to have hidden the drink simply because it had been poured into a plain courtside cup and kept under her towel on the bench, not because she was trying to conceal alcohol or break rules. The beverage was later confirmed to be a Red Bull energy drink. The rumors took off because the drink was unbranded, foamy and amber-colored, which made it resemble beer on the Tennis Channel broadcast. Commentators Brett Haber and Lindsay Davenport openly wondered what it was, and social media amplified the speculation. A practical explanation is that players are often served drinks courtside in neutral containers rather than drinking directly from branded cans, especially in a tightly controlled tournament setting where sponsorship and on-court presentation are managed carefully. Once poured into a plastic cup and tucked under a towel with the rest area items, it looked more mysterious than it was. There is no evidence Anisimova was trying to stage anything dramatic. In fact, her post-match comments suggested she simply needed an energy boost late at night, joking that she needed a “pick-me-up” because it was “past my bedtime.” The Red Bull explanation fits that context and the way she finished the match, rallying past Alexandra Eala in three sets. So the “beer break” story was really the product of camera angles, an ordinary bench setup, and a drink that happened to look like beer.

Q: How did a hidden plastic cup manage to overshadow a spectacular tennis comeback where Anisimova won 16 of the final 19 points?

The hidden cup overshadowed the comeback because it created a perfect viral moment: an amber drink in an unmarked plastic cup, partially concealed under a towel, shown on a live broadcast while commentators openly wondered if it was beer. That visual ambiguity was more instantly shareable than the tennis itself. The speculation was amplified by Tennis Channel commentators Brett Haber and Lindsay Davenport, who discussed the drink on air and acknowledged that it looked like beer, even while stressing they did not know what it was. Once that framing reached social media, the clip took on a life of its own, with fans joking that Anisimova had fueled her comeback with alcohol. In modern sports coverage, a quirky, rule-adjacent mystery can eclipse the match because it is easier to turn into a meme than a detailed account of momentum swings. That was especially true because the actual explanation was mundane: Anisimova had asked for a Red Bull, which was later confirmed by Haber through a courtside camera operator. But by then, the “beer” narrative had already spread. The irony is that the tennis story was stronger. Anisimova recovered from a set down, won the final six games, and took 16 of the last 19 points against Alexandra Eala to close out a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 win. Yet spectacular shot-making and late-match control were briefly eclipsed by a broadcast close-up that invited curiosity, confusion and jokes before the facts caught up.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 18

A courtside camera operator confirmed Amanda Anisimova asked for and received a Red Bull during her Cincinnati Open match, resolving online speculation over a hidden drink in a plastic cup.
The mystery grew after Tennis Channel showed the 24-year-old sipping from the cup under a towel during the second set, prompting even broadcasters to wonder if it was beer, cider or a non-alcoholic drink.
Anisimova then pulled away in the decider, winning the final set 6-2 against Alex Eala to reach the Round of 16.
The episode spread quickly on social media because alcohol is prohibited during matches, though the confirmed energy drink turned the moment into a lighter talking point across tennis.
Anisimova next faces Linda Noskova on Wednesday as attention shifts back to her Cincinnati run.