Alex Eala’s final tournament before Roland Garros—the Strasbourg Open—ended in heartbreak after she suffered a tough 6-3, 5-7, 3-6 loss to Oleksandra Oliynykova in the Main Draw.
Alex Eala Takes the Opening Set
The match opened as a tight baseline battle, with both players holding serve through the first six games for a 3-3 deadlock.
Alex Eala then weathered the biggest challenge of the set in a dramatic seventh game, where she saved multiple break points in a lengthy, exchange-filled battle that stretched through several deuces. The Filipina showed composure under pressure to escape with the hold, and that momentum immediately shifted the match in her favor.
The 20-year-old capitalized in the next game by securing the first break of the contest with aggressive returning and cleaner groundstrokes. From there, Eala strung together three straight games to wrap up the opening frame, 6-3, after 57 minutes.
Throughout the first set, Eala handled Oliynykova’s tricky variety—including looping balls, slices, and drop shots—by stepping inside the baseline and attacking early whenever opportunities opened up.
Oleksandra Oliynykova Turns the Match Around
The Ukrainian qualifier responded strongly in the second set.
The 25-year-old quickly seized momentum by racing to a commanding 4-0 lead, repeatedly pressuring Eala’s service games with aggressive returns and sharp court coverage.
Eala refused to fold and mounted an impressive comeback attempt. The Filipina clawed her way back into the set by winning several key games in a row, eventually erasing the four-game deficit to level the score at 5-5.
At one point, Eala used consecutive backhand winners to force the deadlock and appeared poised to complete a stunning turnaround.
But Oliynykova regained her composure at the perfect time. The Ukrainian steadied with a crucial hold in the 11th game before breaking Eala once more to snatch the second set, 7-5, and force a decider.
Momentum Swings Continue in Deciding Set
The third set featured more momentum swings as both players battled through long rallies and pressure-packed service games.
Alex Eala, who recently moved up to world No. 38, initially regained control after breaking for a 3-2 advantage midway through the decider. Before that, the Filipina survived another grueling service game that featured multiple deuces and break points, showing tremendous grit to stay level at 2-2.
However, Oliynykova refused to let the match slip away.
The world No. 66 immediately broke back to tie the set at 3-3 before completely taking over down the stretch. Using a mix of consistency, variety, and timely aggression, the Ukrainian reeled off the final four games of the match to complete the comeback victory after nearly three hours.
One of the biggest factors in the contest was Oliynykova’s relentless pressure on return. The Ukrainian generated a staggering 23 break-point opportunities throughout the match, constantly forcing Eala to defend her serve.
Focus Shifts to Roland Garros for Alex Eala
The loss marked another early clay-court exit for Alex Eala, whose clay campaign this season included stops in Linz, Stuttgart, Madrid, Rome, and Strasbourg. However, the farthest she went was the Round of 16 in both Singles and Doubles.
Alex Eala will now shift her focus to the French Open, which begins on May 24. The Filipina is included in the Main Draw of both the Singles and Doubles competitions.
