Alex Eala overcame Xinyu Wang, 6-4, 6-3, in the Round of 64 of the WTA 1000 Italian Open on Friday. With her win, the Filipina ace punched her ticket to the Round of 32 in Rome and also avenged her loss to the Chinese star at the ASB Classic in Auckland earlier this year.
Slow Start, Strong Response from Alex Eala
Playing once again at the packed Stadio Nicola Pietrangeli, Alex Eala found herself under pressure early as the 31st seed Wang stormed to a commanding 3-0 lead in the opening set.
The Chinese standout dictated play in the early exchanges with aggressive baseline hitting and deep returns, forcing Eala out of rhythm. But just when the match appeared to be slipping away, the Filipina slowly began to turn the tide.
Eala tightened her groundstrokes, extended rallies, and capitalized on Wang’s growing inconsistency. A pair of double faults from the Chinese player helped fuel the comeback as Eala rattled off four consecutive games to seize a 4-3 advantage.
The momentum fully shifted in the Filipina’s favor as she showcased her growing confidence on clay. Mixing in clever drop shots with aggressive baseline play, Eala repeatedly forced Wang into difficult positions.
Although Wang managed to level the set at 4-4, Eala immediately responded with two straight games, closing out the opener after 47 minutes.
Alex Eala Finishes with a Flourish
The second set proved far more competitive, with both players trading heavy rallies and holding serve through the early stages.
The 24-year-old Wang briefly regained the upper hand by moving ahead 3-2, threatening to push the contest into a deciding set. But the 20-year-old Eala once again showed her resilience.
The Rafa Nadal Academy alumna broke back immediately at 3-3 before delivering one of her steadiest stretches of the match. Her serving improved significantly in the closing games, while her returns continued to pressure Wang’s second serve.
Eala then broke again to move ahead 5-3, putting herself in position to serve for the match.
The final game was anything but straightforward. Wang pushed hard and even earned a 15-40 advantage, but Eala refused to crack under pressure.
Showing poise beyond her years, the pride of Quezon City erased the threat and confidently served out the match after one hour and 26 minutes.
Revenge Complete, But Bigger Challenge Awaits
The win evened Alex Eala’s head-to-head record with Wang at 1-1 after their dramatic three-set battle in Auckland earlier this season, where the Chinese player escaped with victory after Eala failed to close out the match.
This time, however, there would be no collapse. Instead, Eala delivered one of her most mature performances on clay, recovering from difficult stretches in both sets while consistently raising her level in crucial moments.
The world No. 42 also improved her clay-court record this season to five wins in eight matches, continuing a steady resurgence after early exits in Linz and Stuttgart.
With the victory, Eala advances to the Round of 32, where an even tougher challenge awaits. She is set to face either Elena Rybakina, the world No. 2 and reigning Australian Open champion, or former world No. 3 Maria Sakkari (as of this writing).
Regardless of the opponent, Eala has already made a statement in Rome, proving that her game on clay continues to evolve on one of tennis’ biggest stages.
