Alex Eala advances to Round of 16 after rainy Oeiras comeback

Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala continued her impressive form as she marched into the Round of 16 at the Oeiras Ladies Open in Portugal, overcoming Dutch player Anouk Koevermans in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, on Tuesday, April 15 (Manila time).

Despite a lengthy rain delay that interrupted their first-round match, the 19-year-old top seed in the WTA 125 event kept her composure. The match, originally set for Monday, was halted with Eala trailing 2-4 in the second set. Once play resumed, she flipped the script and surged ahead to close out the win efficiently.

“There were definitely some challenges,” Eala shared after her victory. “I’m happy how I came back out on the court.”

Eala, currently ranked No. 72 in the WTA, is coming off a historic run at the Miami Open, where she stunned the tennis world by reaching the semifinals as a wildcard entrant. Her path included wins over three Grand Slam champions—among them, four-time French Open queen and World No. 2 Iga Swiatek—before bowing out to World No. 3 Jessica Pegula in a hard-fought three-set clash.

With that breakthrough behind her, Eala now shifts her focus to the clay courts of Oeiras. Though the surface presents a new challenge, the young star says she’s put in the work to adapt.

“I cannot control the outcome, but I can control my level on the court," she said.

Eala also credited the support of fellow Filipinos in the crowd, saying, “There are Filipinos everywhere in the world, so I’m happy.”

After her strong clay debut, Eala looks to keep her momentum going as she eyes a deeper run in Portugal.