Eala keeps mastery over Vekic, meets Rybakina next

Filipino tennis star Alex Eala gets ready to return a shot during a break point in her match against Croatian Donna Vekic at the 2026 Berlin Tennis Open in Germany on June 17, 2026. (Courtesy: WTA / Screenshot)

Filipina tennis sensation Alexandra Eala showed steely nerves down the stretch to reassert her dominance over Donna Vekic of Croatia, 7-5, 6-4, and barge into the second round of the Berlin Tennis Open 2026 in Germany on Wednesday night (Philippine time).

Eala fought her way back from love-40 in the final game before piercing through an ace that virtually capped off her gutsy victory against the newly-crowned Queen’s Club champion in the opening Round of 32 of the WTA 500 tournament.

“I told myself that she’s fighting back, but I’m also a fighter,” said the world No. 35 Eala, who chalked up her third win in as many encounters with the No. 33 Vekic.

“I had a lot of expectations with the level that I had to bring and I’m really happy with the intensity of the game,” she added.

With the straight-set triumph that saw her fire eight aces, Eala arranged a rematch with No. 2 and two-time Grand Slam winner Elena Rybakina in the Round of 16.

Eala erased a 4-5 deficit in the first set as she put together three straight games highlighted by a forehand winner to seize the opening lead.

The Birmingham Open titlist coasted to a 5-3 advantage in the second set by taking a break point and holding her serve four times.

Vekic threatened to force a tiebreak and a potential deciding set with a couple of forehand hits to close in at 4-5.

But that proved to be her last comeback attempt as Eala scored four points in a row and denied her four breakpoint chances to seal the result in an hour and 50 minutes.

Eala now aims to avenge her 4-6, 3-6 loss to Rybakina in their first faceoff back in the third round of the Italian Open last May, with their second-round match in Berlin initially scheduled on Thursday. — Jeremiah Sevilla