Filipina tennis star Alex Eala put up a tough fight but ultimately bowed out of the Madrid Open after a three-set battle against world no. 2 Iga Swiatek, finishing with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the Round of 64.
Eala held her ground early, matching Swiatek shot-for-shot in the second set and drawing level at 4-all. But the Polish powerhouse, a four-time French Open champion, took control on the clay court, pulling away to win the next two sets.
Swiatek jumped to a 3-0 lead in the final set, but Eala fought back and even led 40-15 in the seventh game before Swiatek turned the tide. Though Eala managed to close the gap to 5-2, Swiatek stayed composed and wrapped up the match after a tight final game.
Earlier in the tournament, Eala defeated Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova in straight sets (6-3, 6-2) to advance to the Round of 64.
This isn’t the first meeting between the two rising stars. At the 2025 Miami Open, Eala pulled off a stunning upset over Swiatek to reach the semifinals, before falling to eventual finalist Jessica Pegula.
Despite the loss, Eala’s determination and poise against one of the world’s top-ranked players continues to solidify her growing reputation on the global tennis stage.