Alex Eala is on a roll. After a breakout run in Miami in March, where she beat three(!) Grand Slam champions on the way to the semi-finals, the 20-year-old tennis player made it to her first career final on grass at Eastbourne last June 28. This week, she makes history as the first Filipina to play in the main draw of Wimbledon. But it’s not going to be a walk in the park for Eala as she faces the defending champion, Barbora Krejcikova, in the first round on July 1.
Eala lost to 19-year-old Australian player Maya Joint in a three-set thriller at the Eastbourne Open finals. The world no. 56 had four chances to clinch the championship during the tie-break that went on for 22 points, but after a series of painful errors, it was Joint who ran away with the trophy, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(10). A tearful Eala faced the crowd during her finalist speech, where she promised to work harder as Wimbledon approaches. “Hopefully, I forget about this match soon.”
Wimbledon will be Eala’s second career Grand Slam appearance after debuting in Roland Garros in May, where she lost to Emiliana Arango in the first round.
Her first-round bout with Krejcikova will be the first time the two will face each other. They could have gone head-to-head in the semis of Eastbourne had the world no. 18 not withdrawn from her match with Varvara Gracheva.
Can Eala Beat Krejcikova?
Beating the 29-year-old Czech will be a tall order for Eala. The former has a win-loss record of 395/228 in her singles career and holds eight singles titles, including two Grand Slam titles (2021 French Open and 2024 Wimbledon). The Filipino tennis star, meanwhile, has a 180/107 win-loss record and has yet to win a career title since going pro.
But with Krejcikova returning to Wimbledon, coming from a thigh injury, could this turn things around for Eala? In a pre-tournament interview at the All England Club, Krejcikova said she had to take some days off from playing tennis after withdrawing from Eastbourne. “I did some off-court stuff, and I have been feeling a little better every day. I hope that by Tuesday, everything’s going to be fine,” the Czech said pertaining to her matchup with Eala on July 1.
When asked by ABS-CBN’s Dyan Castillejo about how much she knows about Eala’s game, Krejcikova admitted she doesn’t really know that much about the “upcoming” player yet.
“But I saw some rallies, some matches, I know that she was doing quite well in the first half of the year,” she said. “It’s going to be a great match-up and I’m looking forward to play [sic] against her and to see where the young generation is.”
Eala herself hadn’t had too much opportunity to take a break, having gone on four consecutive tournaments in June: from Birmingham to Ilkley to Nottingham, and finally to Eastbourne. She tells Castillejo in an interview, “Pagod ako, pero trabaho ko ito. Atleta ako, e. Tuloy ang laban.”
This toil could also factor in her first-round match, but again, we are talking about a 20-year-old who has been playing tennis since she was 12 and has likely developed a stamina for the taxing sport.
Wimbledon Baptism by Fire
Former University of the Philippines Lawn Tennis team captain and tennis coaching and training service, RC Tennis, owner Rico Cifra, likens facing the defending champion in the first round to “being thrown straight into the fire.” “Krejcikova’s variety and net skills can disrupt any opponent’s rhythm,” he tells Rolling Stone Philippines.
Nonetheless, he believes Eala’s agility, fearless baseline game, and ability to adapt quickly can help her pull off an upset or two.
Cifra says, “Eala will need to use her deep returns and aggressive finishes. Just as important is keeping her mental game at peak performance to handle momentum swings and pressure moments.” The 20-year-old is, of course, no stranger to tough matches, having faced four Top 10 players this year already, and getting through three-setters multiple times this season.
“She’s fearless, focused, and always brings that fighting spirit no matter who’s on the other side of the net.”
“I genuinely think that the odds of Alex pulling off an upset are really high,” International Tennis Federation-certified coach and former Ateneo de Manila University Women’s Lawn Tennis team captain Melanie Dizon tells Rolling Stone Philippines.
Dizon, who played alongside Eala in the Women’s Tennis Association Future Stars tour in Singapore in 2016, credits this to the world no. 56’s grass season momentum coming off a great run at Eastbourne. Just like Cifra, Dizon believes one of her biggest weapons coming into this Round 1 match is her aggressive baseline game.
“Her heavy topspin forehand, especially as a lefty, could really put off Krejcikova by taking away time and putting her on the defensive. Also, Krejcikova has been dealing with injuries, including six months [of nursing a] back injury, and a recent thigh issue, which adds an unpredictable layer to the matchup,” Dizon says.
Krejcikova’s all-court game style of heavy slices and net skills could disrupt Eala’s usual pace and rhythm that has so far worked against Iga Swiatek, Madison Keys, and Jelena Ostapenko, says the International School Manila coach. “But if Alex can execute her aggressive style and maintain that confidence on court, she absolutely has a shot at winning the match.”
For many Filipino tennis players and coaches, like Cifra and Dizon, seeing Eala on the Grand Slam and other important tournaments is already proof of her promise. For one thing, it is already a feat for her to dominate on a surface most Filipinos barely get to play on. “And she’s fearless, focused, and always brings that fighting spirit no matter who’s on the other side of the net,” Dizon adds.
