Filipino tennis sensation Alexandra Eala couldn’t hold back her emotions as she reached her first-ever WTA career final at the 2025 Eastbourne Open.
The 20-year-old broke down in tears during her post-match on-court interview following a grueling three-set semifinal victory.
Alexandra Eala’s Journey From Junior Glory to WTA Breakthrough
In Friday’s semifinal at Devonshire Park, the young left-hander edged past fellow qualifier Varvara Gracheva in a hard-fought contest that lasted two hours and 22 minutes. Despite a mid-match slump, Eala regrouped in the decider to prevail 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 and book her place in the final against World No. 51 Maya Joint. As the crowd applauded her gritty performance, Eala’s emotions spilled over during the post-match on-court interview.
“I’m super, super happy because it was a tough match,” Eala said, choking up as she tried to express her feelings. “There were really tough moments where she was playing well and sometimes I didn’t know how to get out of it. I’m really happy with winning.”
View this post on Instagram
A product of the Rafa Nadal Academy, Eala reached a career-high ITF junior ranking of No. 2 in October 2020. She became the first Filipino to win a junior Grand Slam singles title at the 2022 US Open and also captured doubles titles at the 2020 Australian Open and 2021 French Open. Earlier this year, she made the semifinals of the WTA 1000 Miami Open, where she lost to fourth seed Jessica Pegula in three sets.
In March 2025, she cracked the top 100 of the WTA rankings for the first time and peaked at a career-high No. 69. That achievement made her the highest-ranked Filipino tennis player in WTA history and the first from her country to break into the elite circle of women’s tennis.
‘A Big Achievement for Me’: Eala on Overcoming a Tough Opponent
The Filipino tennis star also acknowledged the physical and mental toll of the match, highlighting how both players came through the qualifiers. “It was a challenge for both of us, physically and mentally. We both came from qualies, and she’s a really solid player, had some moments where she was really dominating,” she added.
“So the fact that I was able to stay there and wait for my opportunities was a big achievement for me.”
After concluding her Eastbourne run, Eala will commence her maiden Wimbledon campaign, where she will take on defending champion Barbora Krejčíková in the first round.
