Latest news with #Eala
South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Alexandra Eala first Filipino to reach WTA tour final
Eala defeated France's Vavara Gracheva 7-5 2-6 6-3 over two hours and 33 minutes to tick off another milestone in her rising career. Last March saw the Filipino reach the Miami Open semi-final after defeating three Grand Slam champions - Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek - along the way. "I'm super happy because it was a tough match," said Eala - who is due to face reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova on Tuesday. "There were some tough moments, she was playing well but I'm really happy with winning. It was a challenge for both of us physically and mentally. We both came from qualifiers. I had to wait for my opportunity. it's a big achievement for me today. "I'm so overwhelmed with emotion. There're so many things going through my head but primarily I'm just trying to enjoy the win." Eala and Gracheva exchanged five breaks in a tight first set that went the Filipino's way. The second promised to tell a similar story as Eala went 2-0 up, only for Gracheva to take the next six games to tie the scores. More breaks were traded at the start of the decider before Eala clinched a priceless hold on her sixth chance to earn a 4-3 lead. From there, the world No.74 scored a vital break to serve out the match and seal her win. In the other semi-final, Maya Joint added to her burgeoning reputation by downing world No.53 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The Australian - who defeated British No.1 Emma Raducanu in the previous round - got the better of Pavlyuchenkova 7-5 6-3 to seal a first WTA Tour final on grass. I'm super excited, said Joint. "At the beginning of the week I didn't think I'd get to the final but I've learned to be comfortable on the grass and that gives me confidence going into the next week. "I'm just trying to stay positive and have fun out there. It's going to be a good match. I'm excited to play another match here and it'll be really good." Elsewhere, American Jenson Brooksby became the first lucky loser in the history of Eastbourne to reach the final after his comeback victory over Ugo Humbert. Brooksby beat Humbert 6-7(6) 6-4 6-4 after just under three hours of play to book a meeting with either Taylor Fritz or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. "I thought I stayed really resilient, even after a tough first set," reflected Brooksby. "I let it slip and he raised his level, and I thought I did a good job of staying with it. As a lucky loser there was much lesser pressure, except today, but as a whole in the main draw it's a lot less pressure. I didn't expect to be in the main draw and then you get an opportunity - I just want to make the most of it." "It means a lot for me to be in stages like this - not just skill-wise, but physically - this is my favourite thing in the world - big matches in front of big crowds - and I'm very happy to be playing again tomorrow". In men's doubles, the all-British pair of Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash clinched their second title in as many weeks in Eastbourne. The dynamic duo defeated Ariel Behar and Joran Vliegen 6-4 7-6(5) after an hour and 26 minutes. Glasspool and Cash sealed the deciding break in the last game of the opening set ahead of confirming their triumph on their second match point, two weeks on from winning at Queen's. Cash said: It's been crazy three weeks for us - we've reached three finals in a row and I felt I haven't had a minute to breathe. I want to say thanks to our team for putting in the hours. It's been a tough shift but we've been able to pick up some trophies, and this one's a special one. This is the tournament where I fell in love with tennis, so to be out here picking up a trophy is a very surreal moment." Cash and Glasspool will now switch their focus to The Championships, Wimbledon where they will begin their tournament against Dutch duo Tallon Griekspoor and Botic Van de Zandschulp. Harriet Dart and Maia Lumsden were denied a place in the women's doubles final after a close-fought 2-6 7-5 11-9 defeat to Marie Bouzkova and Anna Danilina. For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website
The Star
an hour ago
- Sport
- The Star
Rising tennis star Eala makes history for Philippines by reaching Eastbourne final
Philippines' Alexandra Eala. - Photo: AFP EASTBOURNE, England(Reuters): Alexandra Eala became the first Filipino to reach a WTA Tour final as she beat fellow qualifier Varvara Gracheva 7-5 2-6 6-3 at the Eastbourne Open on Friday, while lucky loser Jenson Brooksby will meet holder Taylor Fritz in the men's final. Left-hander Eala, ranked 74th in the world, edged a tight first set before losing five games in a row in the second as the match appeared to be slipping away. But the 20-year-old regrouped in the decider and survived a tough seventh game before breaking her French opponent's serve to lead 5-3. She then enjoyed a love service game to seal victory. In Saturday's final she will face 19-year-old Australian Maya Joint who beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5 6-3. It will be the youngest Eastbourne final since 1981 when Tracy Austin faced fellow American Andrea Jaeger. "I'm super happy because that was a tough match and there were some really tough moments," an emotional Eala, who is based in Mallorca and trains at the Rafa Nadal Academy, said on court. "It was tough physically and mentally because she is a tough player and also came from qualifying." Eala's run will not have gone unnoticed by Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, who has been drawn to play her in the first round at the All England Club next week. Krejcikova reached the quarter-finals at Eastbourne but withdrew with a thigh injury on Thursday. Joint continued her impressive run as she reached her first WTA final on grass, coming from 5-3 behind in the opening set against Pavlyuchenkova to take control. "I'm very excited," the 51st-ranked Joint said on court. "I've learned to love playing on grass this week." Three-times champion Fritz overcame Spanish sixth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3 3-6 6-1 and will now face fellow-American Brooksby after the lucky loser beat French fourth seed Ugo Humbert. Fritz broke the Spaniard's first service game as he comfortably won the first set, and while Davidovich Fokina fought back to force a decider, the American broke twice in the last set to reach the final for the fourth time. Brooksby won his first ATP title in April at the US Men's Clay Court Championship, where he began as a wildcard in the qualifying rounds and his 6-7(7) 6-4 6-4 win over Humbert sees the American make it to another final. "I think it's a lot less pressure when you don't expect to be in the main draw and get the opportunity," Brooksby said. "You just want to make the most of it." Humbert came from 5-3 down to win the opening set on a tiebreak, before Brooksby bounced back despite the Frenchman's battling spirit. The American took a 3-0 lead in the next two sets and Humbert drew level on both occasions, but Brooksby clinched both sets with a break of serve. (Reporting by Martyn Herman, Additional reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Ken Ferris, Toby Davis and Pritha Sarkar) - Reuters
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Alexandra Eala first Filipino to reach WTA tour final
Last March saw the Filipino reach the Miami Open semi-final after defeating three Grand Slam champions - Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek - along the way. "I'm super happy because it was a tough match," said Eala - who is due to face reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova on Tuesday. "There were some tough moments, she was playing well but I'm really happy with winning. It was a challenge for both of us physically and mentally. We both came from qualifiers. I had to wait for my opportunity. it's a big achievement for me today. "I'm so overwhelmed with emotion. There're so many things going through my head but primarily I'm just trying to enjoy the win." Eala and Gracheva exchanged five breaks in a tight first set that went the Filipino's way. The second promised to tell a similar story as Eala went 2-0 up, only for Gracheva to take the next six games to tie the scores. More breaks were traded at the start of the decider before Eala clinched a priceless hold on her sixth chance to earn a 4-3 lead. From there, the world No.74 scored a vital break to serve out the match and seal her win. In the other semi-final, Maya Joint added to her burgeoning reputation by downing world No.53 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The Australian - who defeated British No.1 Emma Raducanu in the previous round - got the better of Pavlyuchenkova 7-5 6-3 to seal a first WTA Tour final on grass. I'm super excited, said Joint. "At the beginning of the week I didn't think I'd get to the final but I've learned to be comfortable on the grass and that gives me confidence going into the next week. "I'm just trying to stay positive and have fun out there. It's going to be a good match. I'm excited to play another match here and it'll be really good." Elsewhere, American Jenson Brooksby became the first lucky loser in the history of Eastbourne to reach the final after his comeback victory over Ugo Humbert. Brooksby beat Humbert 6-7(6) 6-4 6-4 after just under three hours of play to book a meeting with either Taylor Fritz or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. "I thought I stayed really resilient, even after a tough first set," reflected Brooksby. "I let it slip and he raised his level, and I thought I did a good job of staying with it. As a lucky loser there was much lesser pressure, except today, but as a whole in the main draw it's a lot less pressure. I didn't expect to be in the main draw and then you get an opportunity - I just want to make the most of it." "It means a lot for me to be in stages like this - not just skill-wise, but physically - this is my favourite thing in the world - big matches in front of big crowds - and I'm very happy to be playing again tomorrow". In men's doubles, the all-British pair of Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash clinched their second title in as many weeks in Eastbourne. The dynamic duo defeated Ariel Behar and Joran Vliegen 6-4 7-6(5) after an hour and 26 minutes. Glasspool and Cash sealed the deciding break in the last game of the opening set ahead of confirming their triumph on their second match point, two weeks on from winning at Queen's. Cash said: It's been crazy three weeks for us - we've reached three finals in a row and I felt I haven't had a minute to breathe. I want to say thanks to our team for putting in the hours. It's been a tough shift but we've been able to pick up some trophies, and this one's a special one. This is the tournament where I fell in love with tennis, so to be out here picking up a trophy is a very surreal moment." Cash and Glasspool will now switch their focus to The Championships, Wimbledon where they will begin their tournament against Dutch duo Tallon Griekspoor and Botic Van de Zandschulp. Harriet Dart and Maia Lumsden were denied a place in the women's doubles final after a close-fought 2-6 7-5 11-9 defeat to Marie Bouzkova and Anna Danilina. For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website
Dubai Eye
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Dubai Eye
Eala makes history for Philippines by reaching Eastbourne final
Alexandra Eala became the first Filipino to reach a WTA Tour final as she beat fellow qualifier Varvara Gracheva 7-5 2-6 6-3 at the Eastbourne Open on Friday, while lucky loser Jenson Brooksby will meet holder Taylor Fritz in the men's final. Left-hander Eala, ranked 74th in the world, edged a tight first set before losing five games in a row in the second as the match appeared to be slipping away. But the 20-year-old regrouped in the decider and survived a tough seventh game before breaking her French opponent's serve to lead 5-3. She then enjoyed a love service game to seal victory. In Saturday's final she will face 19-year-old Australian Maya Joint who beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5 6-3. It will be the youngest Eastbourne final since 1981 when Tracy Austin faced fellow American Andrea Jaeger. "I'm super happy because that was a tough match and there were some really tough moments," an emotional Eala, who is based in Mallorca and trains at the Rafa Nadal Academy, said on court. "It was tough physically and mentally because she is a tough player and also came from qualifying." Eala's run will not have gone unnoticed by Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, who has been drawn to play her in the first round at the All England Club next week. Krejcikova reached the quarter-finals at Eastbourne but withdrew with a thigh injury on Thursday. Joint continued her impressive run as she reached her first WTA final on grass, coming from 5-3 behind in the opening set against Pavlyuchenkova to take control. "I'm very excited," the 51st-ranked Joint said on court. "I've learned to love playing on grass this week." Three-times champion Fritz overcame Spanish sixth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3 3-6 6-1 and will now face fellow-American Brooksby after the lucky loser beat French fourth seed Ugo Humbert. Fritz broke the Spaniard's first service game as he comfortably won the first set, and while Davidovich Fokina fought back to force a decider, the American broke twice in the last set to reach the final for the fourth time. Brooksby won his first ATP title in April at the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship, where he began as a wildcard in the qualifying rounds and his 6-7(7) 6-4 6-4 win over Humbert sees the American make it to another final. "I think it's a lot less pressure when you don't expect to be in the main draw and get the opportunity," Brooksby said. "You just want to make the most of it." Humbert came from 5-3 down to win the opening set on a tiebreak, before Brooksby bounced back despite the Frenchman's battling spirit. The American took a 3-0 lead in the next two sets and Humbert drew level on both occasions, but Brooksby clinched both sets with a break of serve.
GMA Network
9 hours ago
- Sport
- GMA Network
Alex Eala expected to enter world's top 60 in women's tennis
Alexandra Eala celebrates after beating Varvara Gracheva in their women's singles semi-final tennis match in the Eastbourne Open in Eastbourne, southern England, on June 27, 2025. (GLYN KIRK / AFP) Alex Eala is expected to enter the world's top 60 in women's tennis after reaching the finals of the Eastbourne Open. According to a report by sports site Tennis 365, Eala's semis win put her at no. 56 in the WTA live rankings, which will allow the 20-year old player to become the first Filipina to crack the top 60. If Eala wins the Eastbourne Open trophy, the report added that the player could go as high as no. 52 in her rankings. Eala will face Maya Joint first in the finals on Saturday night. The WTA said rankings are determined by "results at a maximum of 18 tournaments for singles and 12 for doubles. Points are awarded based on the level of tournament and a player's round-by-round progression at that tournament." Playing in the Eastbourne Open which is a WTA 250 tournament, 250 ranking points will be given to the winner. Currently the world no. 74, rankings are expected to be updated by Monday. —JKC, GMA Integrated News
