Alex Eala made history at the Lexus Eastbourne Open by becoming the first Filipina to reach a WTA final, following a hard-earned semifinal win over France’s Varvara Gracheva, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3.
The 20-year-old showed tremendous resilience, bouncing back from a second-set stumble and fending off a fierce challenge from Gracheva, a former world No. 39. Eala, who recently rose to No. 56 in the rankings, had to dig deep after losing momentum in the second set.
In the opening frame, Eala led early 2-1 before Gracheva surged ahead, 5-4. But the Filipina responded with poise to snatch the set, 7-5. Gracheva then turned the tide in the second, breaking through a 2-2 tie to win four straight games and force a decider.
Eala regained control in the third, initially pulling ahead 3-2, though Gracheva fought back to level at 3-all. Unfazed, Eala composed herself and closed out the match by winning the final three games.
Before the semis, Eala had won five straight matches in Eastbourne, beginning in the qualifying rounds where she defeated Zeynep Sonmez and Hailey Baptiste. In the main draw, she crushed Lucia Bronzetti 6-0, 6-1, then advanced past Jelena Ostapenko via walkover. A commanding 6-1, 6-2 victory over world No. 42 Dayana Yastremska sent her into the final four.
This run marks Eala’s longest winning streak since the Miami Open, where she famously beat Grand Slam champions Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek.
She will now face Australian teenager Maya Joint in the final on Saturday, June 28.
Career Milestone
The win over Gracheva is a landmark moment in Eala’s professional career.
“I’m just super, super happy it was a really tough match,” she said afterward. “There were moments where she was playing really well, and I just didn’t know what to do. I’m proud I was able to fight through it.”
The two had previously faced off in the Nottingham qualifiers just two weeks earlier, where Eala also came out on top in three sets.
“It was a physical and mental challenge for both of us,” she noted. “She’s such a strong player and had stretches where she was really dominating. I’m proud I waited for my moment and took advantage of it.”
Speaking with the WTA, Eala shared that the victory left her overwhelmed.
“I feel happiness, hunger, tiredness just a flood of emotions,” she said. “I’m really trying to just soak in the win.”
Reflecting on her earlier win over Gracheva, she said it gave her confidence but emphasized that no two matches are the same.
“Last time was in the qualis, now it’s a semifinal. Each match has its own story and challenges.”
As for her mindset going into the final, Eala kept it simple: “I’m focused on myself. Whoever I play will be a great opponent with a lot of experience and skill.”
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