Alex Eala will play in her very first Finals game as she defeated Varvara Gracheva in 3 sets last night, June 27, in their semifinals match at WTA 250 Lexus Eastbourne Open.
A Semis Match for the History Books
Alex Eala, who is now ranked world No. 64, began the match strongly, racing to a 4-1 lead in the opening set.
However, Gracheva fought back with four consecutive games to snatch a 5-4 lead. Eala regrouped in time, charging the net and hitting crucial baseline winners to win three straight games and take the set. Two unforced errors by ranked no. 110, including a forehand miss, sealed the set 1 victory for Alex.
Final Score of Set 1: 7-5
To begin the second frame, the 20 year old from the Philippines once again took an early 2-0 lead, but her momentum faded as the 24 year old from France surged back. Varvara, who previously lost to Alex in the qualifying round of the Lexus Nottingham Open, won six straight games, capitalizing on Eala’s lapse in rhythm and movement to level the match taking Set 2.
Final Score of Set 2: 6-2
The deciding set began similarly, with the pride of Quezon City, Philippines grabbing a 2-0 lead only to see Gracheva respond once more, leveling things at 3-3.
The seventh game proved pivotal. In a grueling battle that featured five deuces, Eala fended off a break point and held serve to go up 4-3. That service hold proved to be the turning point, as she broke Gracheva in the next game and then calmly served out the match, winning four straight points in the final game to clinch the win.
Final Score of Set 3: 6-3
The Mind for the First Time Finalist
“It was a tough match,” Eala shared post-match.
“There were really tough moments where she was playing well and like sometimes couldn’t, you know, didn’t know like how to get out of it. So, yeah, I’m really happy with, you know, winning.”
Reflecting on her performance and the physical and mental demands of the match, Eala noted: “Yeah, it was a challenge for both of us physically and mentally. You know, we both came from qualis and, you know, she’s a really solid player. And had some moments where she was really dominating. So, you know, the fact that I was able to stay there and wait for my opportunity is a big achievement for me today.”
This was the last grass-court tournament warm up for Alex as she plays for the Grand Slam at Wimbledon Open on June 30.
“Last week was in the first round qualis and now the semifinals—it’s a different story each with their own challenges. And it was just as tough as the last time,” she said, recalling their earlier Nottingham clash. “It gave me a bit of stability.”
Alex previously played in the grass court tournaments of Birmingham, Ilkley, Nottingham and now in Eastbourne.
A Living Tennis Legend for the Philippines
Before Alex had her name carved in the tennis history books, there was once upon a time a Filipino player who reached a pro tour singles final, his name was Cecil Mamiit.
He was runner-up in the 1999 ATP Sybase Open in California, however he was representing the United States of America at that time.
But in 2025, Alex is now the first Filipina tennis player in history to reach a WTA finals.
Up Next: Finals Match Versus Maya Joint and Wimbledon Round 1 Opponent
In her very first Finals match, Alex is set to face Maya Joint from Australia.
The 19 year old Joint is currently ranked no. 51 and their match is set to be played tonight, June 28 (Philippine Date & Time).
Prior to this, Eala played two qualifying rounds where she beat Zeynep Sonmez and Hailey Baptiste. Came out victorious in Round of 32 versus Lucia Bronzette, Round of 16 against Jelena Ostanpenko and in the Quarterfinals against Dayana Yastremska.
For her Wimbledon Open Round 1 match, Eala is set to face the defending champion Barbora Krejcikova. The 29 year old from Czech Republic is currently ranked no. 17 and was once upon a time reached ranked no. 2.
