Another giant slain: Alex Eala humbles big-serving Elena Rybakina

Philippines’ Alexandra Eala returns the ball to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina during the women’s singles quarter-final match at the WTA500 Berlin Tennis Open tournament in Berlin on June 19, 2026. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)

Alex Eala advanced to the quarterfinals of the Berlin Open after taking down a reigning Grand Slam champion in Elena Rybakina, and the road to a next WTA title has not gotten any smoother with Elina Svitolina up next for the brave Filipino.

The 21-year-old Eala carved out a courageous 7-5, 6-4 upset of Rybakina, the current Australian Open queen, after rallying from 4-1 down in the first set as the Filipino sustained her brilliant build-up for the world’s premier major, Wimbledon, later this month.

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“I’m really happy with today. It could have gone either way,” an ecstatic Eala said in the on-court interview, but not after calling her parents back home to celebrate the moment of bringing down a world No. 2 for the second time in her career.

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“I think there were really tight moments in both sets,” added Eala, who also conquered then second-ranked Iga Swiatek of Poland in a magical run in Miami last year. “Of course, she’s an amazing player and she’s the one to beat, so I’m happy to have been able to share the court with her again.”

Svitolina, the 31-year-old ranked eighth in the world, advanced in a much comfortable way via a 6-3, 6-2 win over Eva Lys.

The win was the fifth time that Eala brought down a Top 10 player. Aside from that triumph over Swiatek, the world No. 35 owns wins over Madison Keys, Jasmine Paolini and the American Coco Gauff.

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Eala has beaten a top 10 player three of the five times in the past 52 weeks, according to tennisratio.com. Throughout her career, Eala has had the chance to face a top-10 player nine times, winning five of them.

This will be the first singles match between Eala and Svitolina, who has 20 career singles titles counting the last Italian Open.

Rybakina, the Kazakhstani who humbled world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in three sets of the Australian Open finals last Feb. 1, came into the match as the overwhelming favorite against Eala, who earned a wild card slot here.

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“You have to give yourself grace while also being brave,” Eala, one of the biggest draws on tour in the past year, said.

Meanwhile, Sabalenka will be colliding with Nikola Bartunova in one of four quarterfinals going on Saturday morning (Manila time).

Linda Noskova and Paula Badosa are the protagonists in the other quarterfinal pairing.

Rybakina had pulled within 5-4 in the second set and threatened to level, but Eala served out the match and let out a roar before making that quick phone call to her parents.

“I called my dad. I just said, ‘Oh my God,’ Eala said after surviving 13 Rybakina aces. “I think for me, (the key was my) returning and my game in general, a highlight word would be brave, and it makes a big difference when I’m able to do that.”

Eala got her revenge against Rybakina after falling 6-4, 6-3 in a gutsy performance at the Italian Open.

“I was able to get a couple of free points with my serve and [I had] just some good returns,” Eala went on. “She had I don’t know how many aces in the first couple of games, so I think getting the point in play was a big help for me.” INQ

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