Filipina tennis star Alex Eala made a strong start to her clay-court season with a commanding 6-4, 6-3 win over hometown favorite Julia Grabher at the Linz Open in Austria.
Eala showed composure in a tight first set before pulling away in the second, maintaining control despite a brief comeback attempt from her opponent.
The 20-year-old credited her consistency and thanked Filipino fans who showed strong support during the match.
She advances to the Round of 16 in the WTA 500 tournament, where she will face World No. 23 Jelena Ostapenko in a highly anticipated matchup.
Eala holds a winning record against Ostapenko, having beaten her twice in previous WTA encounters.
Source: PhilNews24 | April 8, 2026
