MANILA, Philippines — Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala continued to give Philippine sports fans plenty to cheer about after scoring her second straight victory over Croatia’s Donna Vekic, this time at the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Eala outplayed the Paris Olympics silver medalist in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, in an impressive showing that further fueled optimism ahead of her Australian Open campaign.
The win came just weeks after Eala stunned Vekic at the ASB Classic in Auckland, where the Filipina rallied from a set down to pull off a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory in the opening round. Back-to-back wins over a proven WTA campaigner highlight Eala’s rapid growth and growing confidence on the global tour.
At Kooyong, Eala imposed her game early, dictating rallies from the baseline and keeping Vekic under constant pressure. The 20-year-old displayed composure beyond her years as she closed out the match against the seasoned Croatian.
Eala has been riding a wave of strong results this season, recently reaching the semifinals of a WTA 250 tournament in New Zealand before bowing to China’s Xinyu Wang in a hard-fought three-set match.
The Kooyong Classic, an exhibition tournament held annually ahead of the Australian Open, served as Eala’s final tune-up before the year’s first Grand Slam, scheduled from January 18 to February 1. While no ranking points are on the line, the event offers valuable match play against elite opposition.
Now ranked a career-high world No. 49, Eala heads into the Australian Open carrying momentum—and the hopes of Filipino tennis fans—after another statement win on the Melbourne courts.
