JUST LIKE that, Alex Eala— the Philippines’ rising tennis sensation—has taken down Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska, securing her spot in the semifinals of the 2025 Eastbourne Open on Thursday.
Currently ranked World No. 74, Eala continues her impressive campaign in Eastbourne by reaching her first-ever WTA tour semifinal on grass. She delivered a dominant performance, overpowering Yastremska with a 6-1, 6-2 triumph.
Up against yet another opponent ranked higher than her, the 20-year-old Filipina displayed poise and focus from start to finish, efficiently wrapping up the match in just over an hour with a confident, composed showing.
Maturity Strikes
Eala has shown a level of maturity that seems well beyond her years. Despite Yastremska being ranked World No. 42 with a 21–13 win-loss record, she was controlled by Eala’s pace and assertiveness.
“I think, more than anything, it’s just the mentality. With these great players and these tough conditions, it could be hard to balance patience and the will to go for the ball. I think I did that well throughout the whole week,” Eala told a media.
This marks Eala’s final tournament ahead of Wimbledon, and despite the surface’s unpredictability, she displayed strong adaptability in her Round of 16 win over Jelena Ostapenko (walkover), 0-6, 6-2, 3-2.
“I don’t know. I’m only 20. But it’s been a long road already, although it’s only the start of my career. I have a lot of experience, with getting to know myself. So I think that’s a big part of how I handle myself,” she said.
Lessons Learned
Eala’s campaign in Eastbourne follows her historic semifinal finish at the Miami Open earlier this year, where she narrowly defeated top names like Iga Swiatek, Jelena Ostapenko, and Madison Keys.
“I learned so much from that week. A lot about self-belief and how to handle my emotions when things are going really well, as well as when things are going really bad,” she cited the lessons she learned from Miami.
“To pump yourself up when you’re doing bad and to keep yourself humble when you’re doing well is part of that balance,” she added.
Moving forward, Eala is set to meet France’s Varvara Gracheva in the semifinals. The Filipina tennis ace recently beat Gracheva in the opening round of the Nottingham Open qualifiers.
