Alex Eala turned adversity into inspiration on Wednesday night, January 28, producing a composed and authoritative performance to reach the quarterfinals of the Philippine Women’s Open at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Playing through a heavily bandaged right thigh, the Filipino standout dismantled Japan’s Himeno Sakatsume 6-4, 6-0, drawing energy from a lively home crowd as she closed out the contest in one hour and 21 minutes under cool Manila conditions.

The opening set tested Eala’s patience and resolve, stretching to 48 minutes as both players traded long baseline exchanges and refused to yield ground. The turning point came in the eighth game when Eala calmly erased four break points, holding serve to keep the set level and shifting the momentum firmly in her favor.

She capitalized in the ninth game with relentless pressure, forcing a break after extended rallies before serving out the set with poise to seize control of the match.

Eala takes full control in the second set

Any doubts about Eala’s physical condition vanished in the second set as she elevated her level and dictated play from the first ball. Moving freely despite the re-bandaged thigh, she mixed depth, pace, and angles to steadily wear down a visibly frustrated Sakatsume.

Eala raced through the set in just 33 minutes, refusing to concede a single game while maintaining her composure even when briefly tested. Serving for the match, she recovered from a 15-40 deficit by forcing multiple deuces, ultimately sealing the win when Sakatsume faltered on a drop shot at the net.

“This victory was really enjoyable,” Eala said in her on-court interview, lingering with fans who stayed late to applaud her performance. “I’m very happy with how I played, especially after such a close first set.”

The triumph carried added significance, marking long-awaited revenge for a straight-sets loss Eala suffered against Sakatsume at the 2023 Japan Open in Osaka.

Quarterfinal clash set amid tournament shake-up

Awaiting Eala in the quarterfinals is Colombian fifth seed Camila Osorio, who advanced after navigating a tense three-set battle against Japan’s Mai Hontama earlier in the day. Osorio, a seasoned campaigner, acknowledged the challenge ahead and praised Eala’s competitive spirit.

“To be honest, I would love to play her,” Osorio said. “She fights for every point and plays with so much passion, which I really admire.”

The tournament landscape shifted dramatically as German top seed Tatjana Maria bowed out following a straight-sets upset at the hands of Russian Tatiana Prozorova. Meanwhile, fourth seed Donna Vekic of Croatia continued her smooth run, dispatching Maria Tkacheva in commanding fashion to book her own quarterfinal berth.

As the Philippine Women’s Open progresses, Eala’s blend of resilience, crowd-driven momentum, and growing maturity continues to fuel hopes of a deep run on home soil.