MANILA, Philippines — World No. 35 Alex Eala continued her giant-killing run at the 2026 Berlin Open, defeating world No. 8 Elina Svitolina, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the semifinals of the WTA 500 grass-court tournament early Saturday morning (Philippines time) at Steffi Graf Stadion.
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| Alex Eala's remarkable Berlin Open run reaches semifinals. Photo courtesy: WTA |
The victory came just 24 hours after Eala pulled off another major upset by eliminating world No. 2 Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals, marking back-to-back wins over top-10 opponents.
Eala wasted little time asserting herself against the veteran Ukrainian, racing to a 4-1 lead in the opening set behind aggressive returning and confident baseline play.
The Filipino standout maintained her momentum throughout the first set and capitalized on key opportunities to keep Svitolina on the defensive.
In the second set, Eala broke serve three times to build a commanding 5-2 advantage and appeared poised for a comfortable finish.
Svitolina, known for her resilience, responded by winning the next two games to trim the deficit and briefly threaten a comeback.
Eala, however, remained composed under pressure and closed out the match on her serve to secure another milestone victory in her rapidly growing career.
Marching ON 💪
— wta (@WTA) June 19, 2026
Alex Eala is a semifinalist in Berlin, defeating Svitolina 6-3, 6-4!#BTO26 pic.twitter.com/k0zHYyYfWt
“Of course, Elina is a huge fighter and I’ve seen it many times. I've been watching her since I was a kid,” Eala said after the match.
The 21-year-old has now defeated six top-10 players in her career, a remarkable achievement that highlights her steady rise on the WTA Tour.
Eala will next face fellow 21-year-old Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic, who defeated Paula Badosa, 6-1, 6-3, in the quarterfinals.
The winner of their semifinal clash will advance to the championship match against either world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka or Jessica Pegula.
— The Summit Express
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