Alex Eala beats defending champ Fernandez, reaches quarterfinals
Filipino tennis player Alex Eala defeated defending champion Leylah Fernandez at the Mubadala DC Open. Eala secured the win in straight sets after a challenging second set, advancing to the quarterfinals.
Why it matters
Eala continues to rise in the WTA rankings, demonstrating her ability to compete against and defeat top-tier professional tennis players.
Alex Eala defeated Paris 2024 Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen in the first round of the Mubadala DC Open in Washington DC. She then followed up by defeating Canada’s Leylah Annie Fernandez on Wednesday, July 29. | Mubadala DC Open/FB
Alex Eala defeated Leylah Fernandez in straight sets on Wednesday, July 29 in the Mubadala DC Open, where Fernandez was the defending champion.
Eala needed one hour and 53 minutes to close out the match, 6-2, 7-6(1).
Fernandez nearly forced a third and deciding set, at one point leading 5-1 in the second set. But Eala refused to give up and kept on trying to problem-solve, something she is gaining a reputation for.
Alex Eala Tracker 2026: Matches, News, Rankings
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