Eala Falls to Joint in Historic Eastbourne Final

Alexandra Eala made history as the first Filipino to reach a WTA Tour final in the Open Era after an impressive run at the Eastbourne Open, defeating several higher-ranked opponents. In a closely contested final, Eala was narrowly defeated by 19-year-old Australian Maya Joint in a dramatic final-set tiebreak. Despite the loss, Eala's performance elevated her to a career-high WTA ranking of No. 56. She will next become the first Filipino to play in the singles main draw at Wimbledon, where she faces defending champion Barbora Krejcikova on Centre Court. Eala expressed pride in her achievements and described her upcoming Wimbledon debut as a dream come true. Her accomplishments mark a historic breakthrough for Philippine tennis.