ALEXANDRA “Alex” Eala of the Philippines faces newly minted Queen’s Club champ Donna Vekic of Croatia in the WTA 500 Berlin Open in Germany Wednesday evening in Manila.
The order of play for Wednesday’s matches wasn’t released yet as of writing, but Eala and Vekic is the last first-round (round of 32) match that hasn’t been played.
The nine other matches were being held at press time on Tuesday.
Eala may have beaten Vekic twice in as many matches, but Vekic enters Berlin oozing with confidence following her HSBC Championships conquest.
Vekic, 29, defeated former US Open champ Emma Raducanu in the final, 6-0, 7-6(6), for her first title in three years and fifth overall.
Vekic leaped from world No. 76 to 33 after her latest title, her ascent pushed Eala down two notches from No. 33 to 35.
Eala, 21, fell to Iva Jovic in the round of 16, 2-6, 2-6, in the Queen’s Club.
Eala first defeated Vekic at the ASB Classic first round in New Zealand, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, on Jan. 6.
A little over a week later on Jan. 14, Eala repeated over Vekic, 6-3, 6-4, albeit in an exhibition match at the Kooyong Classic.
