Eala optimistic on improvement amid Berlin streak
MANILA, Philippines — There is no way to go but up for Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala after another day, another Top-10 win and another sweep as the newest breakout player in Berlin.
Eala soared into the Final Four of the WTA500 Berlin Tennis Open Saturday morning for a new feather in her cap but for her, the flight to greater heights is just beginning.
“I think I’m getting better and I hope I’m getting better,” beamed Eala after slaying another giant in World No. 8 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine with a 6-3, 6-4 quarterfinal win.
“Being exposed to this kind of level forces you to grow and some weeks are just better than the others so (this is one is one those). I hope to bring out the best in me and showcase my tennis as there is really no easy draw here. There is no easy match.”
Eala’s new exploits pushed her to No. 30 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) live rankings with a total of 135 points gained in three rounds so far to shore up her drive to notching a historic seeding in the Wimbledon from June 29 to July 12 in London.
The next 20 players in the Top 50 are already out of Berlin or other Wimbledon side tournaments, including Eala's Birmingham rival Nikola Bartunkova of Czechia (No. 46), who held the biggest chance in bumping her off after a 6-2, 6-7, 4-6 defeat to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Russia.
Should Eala hold steady at No. 30, she’s bound to become the first Filipina player in history to get a seed in a Grand Slam main draw after already etching a bevy of firsts for Philippine tennis.
Among those is now being the first semifinalist in a WTA500 tour despite coming in as a wildcard and a first-timer in Berlin filled with a slew of top-ranked players.
Eala did it by taking down Svitolina, former World No. 3, behind five breakpoints, including ones that catapulted her to a pair of 2-0 starts in both sets for the win in only 83 minutes.
It’s the second Top-10 win for Eala in back-to-back games after stunning world No. 2 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the Round of 16.
Overall, Eala has slain six Top-10 players in her career, including former world No. 2 Iga Swiatek of Poland (now world No. 3) in the 2025 Miami Open quarterfinals.
“That sounds amazing. I can't believe it. I'm in shock right now,” added Eala, tipping her hat to the 31-year-old and new mother Svitolina, who she looks up to as one of her idols.
“Elina is a huge fighter. I've seen it many times. I've been watching her since I was a kid, so facing her here is an honor. She's a mother. I admire her, just elegance and strength. It's a huge honor to share the court with her.”
But Eala is not done yet with a chance to go all the way to the finals against another Czech rival in World No. 13 Linda Noskova Saturday night.
The other semis pairing has Sabalenka against World No. 4 Jessica Pegula of the United States.
Eala has some unfinished business to settle against her fellow 21-year-old after a 6-2, 6-0 loss in the Indian Wells Round of 16 last March as part of her previous 0-13 slate against Czech players before a breakthrough against Bartunkova to win Birmingham.
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