Alex Eala Wimbledon Second Round Win
Alex Eala became the first Filipina to win a match at Wimbledon in the Open era, beating Renata Zarazua 6-1, 6-2 to reach the second round.
It is her second Open-era first in less than a year. She already became the first Filipina to win a Grand Slam match in the Open era last year, when she beat Clara Tauson in the opening round of the US Open.
A Seed Earned on Grass
Eala entered the tournament as the 29th seed. She built that seeding through a strong grass court season, reaching the semifinals of the Berlin Tennis Open and winning the title at the Birmingham Open.
Business as Usual
Zarazua, ranked world No. 75, could not slow Eala down. The match lasted one hour and 18 minutes. Both players opened with love holds, tying the score at 1-1. Eala then won four straight games to lead 5-1.
The Game That Almost Slipped
The sixth game tested Eala’s composure. She held a 40-0 lead early, then watched it disappear into seven deuces. An unforced error from Zarazua finally handed Eala the break. She served out the set right after.
Closing It Out
Eala opened the second set with a 2-0 lead. Zarazua answered to get on the board, but Eala responded immediately, holding to love in the fourth game and pushing her lead to 5-1. Zarazua held once more to make it 5-2, as a string of errors briefly crept into Eala’s game. In the eighth game, Eala closed it out with a forehand winner.
The Numbers Behind the Win
Eala finished with 22 total winners to Zarazua’s 11. At the net, she won 16 points to Zarazua’s three. Across the full match, Eala took 64 points to Zarazua’s 41.
What’s Next
Eala moves on to face Maya Joint in the second round. Joint defeated the returning Serena Williams in the first round to set up the matchup.
