Berlin: Filipino Alexandra Eala survived her first-round match at the WTA 500 Berlin Open, beating Queen's Club champion Donna Vekic, 7-5, 6-4, Wednesday on the grass of the Steffi Graf Stadium in Germany.
According to Philippines News Agency, Eala, who is now 2-0 against Vekic, previously won the WTA 125 Birmingham Open at the Edgbaston Priory Club in England on June 7. Vekic, meanwhile, claimed her first career WTA 500 title at the HSBC Championships (Queen's Club Championships) on June 14, where she defeated British Emma Raducanu in the final.
Eala managed to recover from 0-40 in the final game of the match to secure a victory and set up a second-round clash with World No. 2 Elena Rybakina. Rybakina, the tournament's second seed, had a first-round bye along with World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, third seed Jessica Pegula, and fifth seed Coco Gauff.
The Berlin Open has seen champions like Liudmila Samsonova in 2021, Ons Jabeur in 2022, and Petra Kvitova in 2023. Last year, Czech Marketa Vondrousova defeated Chinese Wang Xinyu to claim the title.
Eala expressed her determination during a post-match interview with Sky Sports, stating her resolve to fight back against Vekic. She acknowledged Vekic's skill and expressed satisfaction with her own performance, noting the high level of intensity she brought to the match.
Currently ranked No. 34 in the WTA Live Singles Rankings with 1,422 points, Eala reached a career-high of World No. 33 after her Birmingham Open victory. This win marked her first title on grasscourt and her second WTA 125 crown following the 2025 Guadalajara Open. Last year, she also achieved a significant milestone by winning the gold medal at the Thailand SEA Games, marking a historic victory for the Philippines in women's singles after 26 years.
