Alex Eala outsmarts Vekic in Berlin, sets up rematch with Rybakina

Three days after her dramatic win at the HSBC Championships in London, Donna Vekic faced Alex Eala at the Berlin Tennis Open and, this time, wasn’t such a lucky loser.

Eala defeated the Croatian star in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4, in an hour and 50 minutes in the early afternoon hours on Wednesday, June 17.

The Filipina will face Elena Rybakina in the round of 16. While that is likely to be a challenging match, Eala, 21, is guaranteed at least €15,470 (about ₱1.08 million) for reaching the second round of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 500 event.

FOR THE LOVE OF TENNIS: Alex Eala Tracker 2026: Matches, News, Rankings

Eala won the Birmingham Open, a WTA 125 event, last June 7. She is currently No. 35 in the WTA rankings, which the association updates every Monday.

From lucky loser to tournament champion

Like her, Vekic also entered Berlin with a newly won title. But her win was more dramatic.

Vekic had lost in the qualifying rounds in London, but when Madrid Open champion and French Open semifinalist Marta Kostyuk withdrew from the HSBC Championships, Vekic advanced to the main draw, as the so-called lucky loser.

By winning the title, Vekic soared 43 places up and landed at No. 33 in the WTA rankings. She will turn 30 on June 28.

Eala is now 2-0 against the Croatian. Before Berlin, they also faced each other in the round of 32 of the ASB Classic in Auckland in January 2026. Eala won that in three sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-4).

Alex Eala’s never-say-die mindset

The two challenged each other in the first set in Berlin. Each took two break points, before Eala broke Vekic’s sixth service game to take a 6-5 lead and serve for the set.Eala won the first set, 7-5, in one hour and three minutes.

She then rode the momentum, breaking Vekic’s first service game and holding her own to take a 2-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the second set.

The Filipina was up 4-3 and was leading 40-30 on her serve when officials suspended the match. (It wasn’t clear why.) When the match resumed, Eala quickly won the point, going up 5-3.

She saved 4 break point opportunities to win the match

One hour and 42 minutes after starting, Eala served for the match for the first time.

Vekic raced to a 40-0 lead on Eala’s service game.

But the Filipina saved all three break point opportunities, before sending a forehand into the net, which gave Vekic her fourth opportunity to break.

Eala saved that, too.

She served an ace to take the lead and then emphatically ended the match with another big serve, for a triumphant Berlin Tennis Open debut.

This Filipina is a fighter

“I told myself that she was fighting back,” Eala said in the on-court, post-match interview, when asked about how she saved those four break point opportunities while serving for the match.

“But I’m also a fighter, so I had to try… Every time I played Donna, it’s always been difficult. She’s such an incredible player. I’m very happy with today’s result.”

Also through to the round of 16 in Berlin are Ekaterina Alexandrova, who will go up against WTA No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka; Katerina Siniakova, who will face Jessica Pegula; Elina Svitolina, who will face Eva Lys; Coco Gauff, who will face Paula Badosa; Linda Noskova, who will face Diane Parry; Karolina Muchova, who will play against Madison Keys. And, of course, Eala’s next opponent: Rybakina.

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