Alex Eala outlasts Donna Vekic to advance to ASB Classic R16

January 7 ------ ALEX Eala found no better way to open her 2026 campaign, surviving a two-hour and 40-minute thriller, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, against gritty Donna Vekic in her WTA 250 ASB Classic stint in Auckland, New Zealand.

After forcing a decider, the Filipina world No. 53 grinded through a tense third set that featured three deadlocks. Locked at 3-3, Eala wrested control, winning two straight games to regain the lead at 5-3 over the 29-year-old Croatian. Vekic pulled one game back before Eala officially closed it out, 6-4.

Eala will next face another Croatian in Petra Marcinko, world No. 82, in the round of 16. In the opening set, Eala burst out to a 3-0 lead against the Croatian world No. 69. Vekic gradually clawed back, winning three straight games to level the set at 3-3 before both players held serve. At 4-3, Eala made her best effort to halt Vekic’s momentum, but the Croatian took the final two games to claim the opening set, 6-4.

The Filipina responded in the second set by jumping to another early 2-0 advantage. Vekic stayed close as the set tightened at 3-3, before Eala edged ahead at 4-3. Eala extended the set to 5-3 and, after conceding a game, closed it out at 6-4 to force the decider.

Source: spin.ph