Alex Eala may have fallen short of lifting the trophy, but she walked off the court having made history.
The 20-year-old Filipina tennis sensation finished as runner-up at the Lexus Eastbourne Open after a nail-biting three-set final against Australia’s Maya Joint. Eala came agonizingly close to clinching her first WTA title, even holding four championship points before eventually succumbing, 4-6, 6-1, 6(10)-7, in a thriller that tested both players’ resolve.
Despite the gut-wrenching loss, Eala stood proud as she received her runner-up trophy with tears in her eyes but a smile on her face.
“This is my first WTA final. It’s a big deal for me and you know, for my country too. It’s historic. Because this is the first time that any Filipina has done it,” Eala said, acknowledging the significance of her breakthrough for Philippine tennis.
She also praised her opponent, the 19-year-old world No. 51 Maya Joint, for the hard-fought battle. “I want to congratulate Maya for a great match and a great tournament. Yeah, I think, we did really well and I think, you know, if I was to lose to anyone, I think it would definitely be you,” she said.
The milestone marks a major highlight in what Eala described as a “crazy year.” A product of the Rafa Nadal Academy, she reached the Eastbourne final as a qualifier—proving her grit on grass in her maiden championship game on the surface.
Next up for the rising star is her Wimbledon main draw debut, where she will face defending champion Barbora Krejcikova. Reflecting on her emotional week, Eala added, “I’ll remember this week and this moment forever… Wimbledon’s next week so, hopefully, I forget about this match soon enough.”
Eala previously made her second Grand Slam appearance this year with a first-round run at the French Open.
