Dubai: Despite leaving Montreal early, 20-year-old Filipina Alexandra Eala made a powerful statement about her increasing prominence on the WTA Tour by forcing former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova to three sets until an injury ended her run. Before a left shoulder problem came up in the final, Eala defeated the 2023 Wimbledon champion 6-3 in the opening set. Her rhythm was affected by the injury, which necessitated a medical break, and she ultimately lost the first round of the WTA 250 event on Sunday 6-3, 1-6, 2-6.
Her performance against a Grand Slam champion, which included a commanding first set, highlighted her ongoing development at the top level of the sport, despite the disappointing outcome. Eala saw a slight improvement in the most recent WTA rankings, moving up from No. 69 to No. 65, despite the early withdrawal. For the Filipina, who had slipped following a four-week competitive sabbatical after hitting a career-high of World No. 56 in June, it’s a comforting move.
A potential encounter with Fernandez
Meeting Canadian sensation Leylah Fernandez at the Cincinnati Open could be one of the highlights of the future. Another Filipino-born player, Fernandez, is gaining momentum following her victory at the D.C. Open, which was the biggest of her career. The 22-year-old left-hander won her fourth career title, her first in a WTA 500 event, after easily defeating Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 in the final. The 36th-ranked Fernandez made it to the finals of the 2021 US Open and defeated top seeds Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula to win the title in Washington, D.C. In addition to putting two talented athletes against one another, a matchup between Eala and Fernandez would appeal to supporters in Canada and the Philippines.
A much-needed respite
After the European swing, Eala took a four-week vacation to rest and recuperate in Manila. She has been able to psychologically regroup and accept the value of rest as a component of her preparation for the Montreal Open thanks to the delay. Her main goal right now is to gain momentum and match fitness before the US Open, where she will make her main draw debut at Flushing Meadows. Eala recently declared, “I’m not under any pressure.” “I’m concentrating on having fun and improving every week.”
Despite the score, Montreal only served to reinforce Eala’s reputation as one of the most promising young players on the tour with to her strong baseline game, developing maturity, and courageous court presence.
From playing on the pitch to analysing it from the press box, Satish has spent over three decades living and breathing sport. A cricketer-turned-journalist, he has covered three Cricket World Cups, the 2025 Champions Trophy, countless IPL seasons, F1 races, horse racing classics, and tennis in Dubai. Cricket is his home ground, but he sees himself as an all-rounder – breaking stories, building pages, going live on podcasts, and interviewing legends across every corner of the sporting world. Satish started on the back pages, and earned his way to the front, now leading the sports team at Gulf News, where he has spent 25 years navigating the fast-evolving game of journalism. Whether it’s a Super-Over thriller or a behind-the-scenes story, he aims to bring insight, energy, and a fan’s heart to every piece. Because like sport, journalism is about showing up, learning every day, and giving it everything.
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