After defeating Donna Vekić in the Round of 32 of the ASB Classic las week, Alex Eala once again got the better of the Croatian ace on Wednesday, this time at the ongoing Kooyong Classic in Melbourne, Australia via scores of 6–3, 6–4.
Alex Eala Nets Two Wins Against the 2024 Olympic Silver Medalist
The match didn’t begin smoothly for the 20-year-old Alex Eala. Vekić, ranked just outside the Top 70, grabbed a 2–1 edge in the opening set and briefly dictated play with her experience. But the tennis ace from the Philippines responded with poise, stringing together four straight games as the Croatian committed a series of unforced errors.
Then, with the crowd behind her, the 20-year-old sealed the opening frame, punctuating it with a well-timed ace.
Momentum stayed with Eala in the second set even after Vekić again edged ahead early. After falling behind 1–2, the 2025 WTA 125 Guadalajara champion produced a blistering stretch of point-winning runs, leveling the score before racing to a 4–2 advantage.
Vekić attempted one last push, holding serve to narrow the gap, but Eala calmly protected her own delivery to move within one game of the victory. Any lingering doubt was erased in the next game as Eala closed out the match, earning cheers from a vocal pro-Filipino gallery.
FINAL SCORES
SET 1: 6-3
SET 2: 6-4
The win was Eala’s second straight over Vekić and continued the Filipina’s strong start to 2026, highlighted by four victories in her first five singles outings. It also gives Eala momentum going into the Australian Open.
Preparing for the Australian Open
Alex Eala’s great start to 2026, which includes two wins against the Olympic silver medalist, shows an evolving young athlete starting to get it together. And, after four wins in her first five singles matches, it looks like the Rafa Nadal Academy graduate is more ready than ever to potentially make some noise in the year’ first Grand Slam in the Australian Open.
Being a Top 100 player in the WTA, Quezon City’s own will be part of the Australian Open’s main draw.
