Alex Eala Advances to Semifinals at Eastbourne Open

EASTBOURNE, England — Filipina tennis player Alex Eala breezed into the semifinals of the WTA 250 Eastbourne Open on Thursday, June 26, with a decisive 6-1, 6-2 victory over Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska. The win solidifies Eala’s position as one of the rising stars in women’s tennis as she prepares for Wimbledon.

The 20-year-old Eala displayed remarkable composure on the windy grass courts, breaking Yastremska’s serve seven times throughout the match. She recorded 57 points compared to Yastremska’s 37, indicating a dominant performance. Eala limited her errors to just 10, while Yastremska, ranked No. 42 in the world, committed 24 errors.

Eala’s strategy involved consistent returns that kept Yastremska off balance. “The grass season is not very long, and I haven’t had many matches in general, so I’m happy that I’m able to do well,” Eala said after her victory. This match marked her second semifinal appearance in WTA competitions following a strong performance at the Miami Open earlier this year.

In the upcoming semifinals, Eala will face France’s Varvara Gracheva, currently ranked No. 111. Gracheva advanced after her scheduled opponent, Barbora Krejcikova, withdrew due to injury. Eala previously defeated Gracheva in the Nottingham Open qualifiers just weeks earlier.

Fans are eager to see if Eala’s momentum will carry her to her first-ever WTA final. A win in Eastbourne could potentially elevate her ranking significantly, making her debut at Wimbledon even more compelling.