Rain or shine, no stopping Filipina Alex Eala’s red-hot streak

Dubai: Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala wrapped up a rain-delayed first-round victory at the WTA 125 Oeiras Ladies Open in Portugal, defeating Dutch player Anouk Koevermans 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the last 16.

Eala, seeded first in the tournament, had taken the opening set comfortably before trailing 2-4 in the second when persistent rain forced the suspension of play at the Centro Desportivo Nacional do Jamor on Monday.

Resuming the match on Tuesday, the 18-year-old returned with intent and reeled off four consecutive games in just 14 minutes to seal the win. In total, she spent one hour and 26 minutes on court to dispatch the world No 182.

Eala had already begun staging a comeback before the interruption, leading 30-0 in the seventh game. She now awaits her next opponent in the round of 16, with rain continuing to disrupt the schedule in Oeiras.

Eala arrived in Portugal riding the high of a career-best WTA ranking of No 73, having recently become the first Filipina to break into the top 100 after a historic run at the Miami Open.

Competing as a wild card, she stunned the tennis world by defeating three Grand Slam champions — 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and world No 2 Iga Swiatek — before falling to world No 4 Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals.

Her previous best ranking was No 134 after a semi-final finish in Canberra earlier this year. Since turning professional in 2020, Eala has climbed from No 1180 in the rankings and continues to live up to her billing as one of the sport’s brightest prospects.

“I’m proud of myself for pushing through those tough moments, as well as to have been able to make a statement for the Philippines in one of the biggest stages of tennis,” Eala shared in a social media post.

A product of the Rafa Nadal Academy, Eala has also spoken candidly about the behind-the-scenes challenges she faces — particularly the logistical complications of securing visas with a Philippine passport.

“It takes so much time. For me, I find challenging the visas, being able to plan,” she said, underlining how those hurdles make life on tour more complex.

Despite the difficulties, Eala continues to inspire with her grit and grace. Fans will be hoping the rising star can maintain her momentum and make a deep run in Portugal.