Alex Eala Advances to Nottingham Open Qualifiers After Hard Fought Match

MANILA, Philippines — Filipina tennis player Alex Eala has moved on to the next round of the Nottingham Open qualifiers after a competitive match against Varvara Gracheva of France. Eala won the match 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 on Saturday, March 23, 2025, in Great Britain.

The match, which lasted nearly two hours, saw Eala shake off a setback in the second set to secure victory. She dominated on receiving points, earning 49 compared to Gracheva’s 29. However, Gracheva excelled in service points, totaling 49 against Eala’s 41.

Prior to this match, Eala faced a quarterfinal exit at the Ilkley Open, where she was the top seed. After winning her first two matches against Lizette Cabrera and Valentina Ryser, she fell to Rebecca Marino, the defending Ilkley Open champion.

With her victory over Gracheva, Eala is set to compete against Romania‘s Anca Todoni for a chance to enter the main draw on Monday evening, Manila time.