Alex Eala Advances in WTA 125 Ilkley Open with Victory Over Cabrera

ILKLEY, England — Filipino tennis star Alex Eala defeated Australian Lizette Cabrera, 7-6 (4), 6-3, in the Round of 32 at the WTA 125 Lexus Ilkley Open on Wednesday. The match took place on Center Court and lasted one hour and 46 minutes.

Eala’s victory comes after a tough first-round exit earlier this month at the French Open. The 20-year-old, ranked 77 in the world, is building her momentum on grass courts before the prestigious Wimbledon tournament, which begins on June 30.

After a close first set that went to a tiebreak, Eala gained confidence and dominated the second set against Cabrera, who is of Filipino descent and currently ranked 206. Eala’s victory sets her up for a match against Switzerland’s Valentina Ryser, a WTA 230 player, in the Round of 16.

In her previous encounters with Ryser, Eala has had mixed results, winning one match and losing another earlier this year in Slovakia. Ryser recently advanced after defeating Japan’s Sara Saito, ranked 179, in straight sets, 6-0, 6-4, in her opening match.

With her recent win, Eala aims to build on her success as she gears up for the challenges that lie ahead in the tournament.