Alex Eala not only completed her suspended Round of 32 match against Varvara Lepchenko but also went on to defeat Nicole Fossa Huergo in the Round of 16 in the early morning of September 5.
The Rain Never Bothered Her Anyway
Eala’s Round of 16 clash with 39-year-old American Varvara Lepchenko was a test of endurance and mental toughness.
She stormed to a 3-0 lead in the first set, but the veteran clawed her way back to force a tense tiebreaker. Lepchenko ultimately prevailed after nearly 80 minutes of grueling play.
FINAL SCORE OF SET 1: 7-(6)3
The second set was just as tight, with neither player giving much ground. Eala forced another tiebreak and this time turned the tables and won the set to level the match after more than two and a half hours on court.
FINAL SCORE OF SET 2: 7-(6)3
Heavy rain halted play with the match tied at 3-2 in the decider, forcing both players off court. When action resumed the following morning, Eala immediately seized control, breaking serve and racing to a 5-2 advantage. She sealed the victory with a crisp backhand winner, wrapping up the marathon in just 14 minutes after the restart.
FINAL SCORE OF SET 3: 6-3
The triumph sent her into the quarterfinals, marking her first WTA last-eight appearance since her impressive runner-up finish at the Eastbourne Open last June.
A “VERY SHORT PREPARATION TIME” Before the Quarterfinals
With barely an hour of rest, Eala was back on court to face Italy’s Nicole Fossa Huergo in the quarterfinals.
The world No. 280 made a strong start, surging to a 3-1 lead and later serving for the set at 5-4. But Eala dug deep, breaking back at the critical moment to level at 5-all. The Pride of the Philippines then steadied behind a strong service hold before forcing a tiebreak, where she pounced on the errors committed by the 30-year-old Italian to claim the opener.
FINAL SCORE OF SET 1: 7-6(2)
Riding that momentum, Eala dominated the second set. From 2-all, she broke serve to take a 3-2 lead, then piled on the pressure with precise shot-making. The 20-year-old closed out the match after 90 minutes, booking her third career semifinal berth.
FINAL SCORE OF SET 2: 6-2
Up Next: Semifinals Clash Against Kayla Day
It appears that Eala has found her niche in the Harcourt as this would be her 2nd Semifinals following her Miami Open 2025 run.
Even though she lost against Jessica Pegula, she put the world on notice with her “Cinderella Run”.
And then last June, Eala defeated Varvara Gracheva in the semifinals in the grasscourts of Eastbourne Open. She went for a runner-up finish in the tournament as she lost against Maya Joint in her 1st ever WTA Finals.
American Kayla Day, ranked No. 418, will test whether the No. 70-ranked Alex Eala is ready to advance to her second WTA final.
Their match is set to be played tomorrow, Saturday, August 5, at 2:10 AM.
