Alexandra Eala bowed to Ukrainian qualifier Oleksandra Oliynykova, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, after both players delivered a gripping, nearly three-hour battle in the first round of the Internationaux de Strasbourg in France.
The match lasted two hours and 52 minutes and quickly emerged as one of the tournament’s most entertaining contests, with both players showcasing grit, creativity, and relentless shot-making on clay.
Eala controlled the early exchanges by stepping inside the court and attacking Oliynykova’s looping defensive returns. The Filipina battled through 14 deuces across the final three games of the opening set before sealing it with a sharp forehand passing shot.
The 20-year-old Eala also mounted a spirited comeback attempt in the second set after falling behind 4-0 and facing 0-40. She fought off five break points and eventually leveled the set at 5-5 before Oliynykova regained momentum late.
Eala saved 15 of the 23 break points she faced and converted six of nine break opportunities on Oliynykova’s serve, but the world No. 66 answered with steady resilience and a mix of slices, drop shots, and aggressive groundstrokes to disrupt the Filipina’s rhythm.
The deciding set turned in Eala’s favor briefly after she survived an eight-deuce service game and broke for a 3-2 lead. However, Oliynykova responded with four straight games to close out the victory and secure her third Top 50 win of the season.
After the match, Oliynykova revealed the emotional motivation behind her performance.
Her father and manager, Denis, have not watched her compete live since volunteering for the Ukrainian army two years ago. Oliynykova said she needed to win in Strasbourg to ensure he could watch her play before returning to the frontlines.
“For me it was so important,” Oliynykova said during her on-court interview. “Every match he will see, every day is important because I don’t know when he will watch me play again.”
Oliynykova advanced to face No. 8 seed Marie Bouzkova, who defeated fellow Czech Katerina Siniakova, 7-6(3), 6-3. WTA/FROM THE WIRES
