Alexandra Eala opened her campaign at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Austria’s Julia Grabher in the first round Tuesday evening (Philippine time).
Eala, 20, weathered a strong challenge from the home favorite despite the straight-sets result.
Grabher, who surged from No. 470 to No. 89 in the WTA rankings over the past 15 months, threatened early by earning break points in three of Eala’s service games in the opening set. Eala, however, held her nerve each time and broke Grabher in the 10th game to take the set, 6-4.
Grabher continued to pressure in the second set and created multiple break opportunities. She converted one in the seventh game while trailing 4-1, but Eala responded immediately with a break in the next game and closed out the match in one hour and 42 minutes.
Eala converted three of seven break points, while Grabher managed just one of 10 chances. The Austrian fell to 0-6 at the WTA 500 event.
“I kept the intensity well throughout the match. She's a very intense player and has really good shots, so I'm really happy with the win,” Eala said in a post-match interview.
Eala, the first Filipina to compete in the main draw in Linz, said she appreciated the support from Filipino fans in Austria.
She said the turnout meant a lot and expressed gratitude to supporters who traveled from Vienna, Salzburg, and other areas to watch her play.
She also said she felt welcomed in Linz and looks forward to experiencing more of the local culture while continuing her campaign.
Eala will next face fourth seed Jelena Ostapenko. The two have met twice in 2025, with Eala winning both matches, and she will aim to extend that record. WTA/FROM THE WIRES