(Updated) MANILA, Philippines — Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala survived a grueling second set to prevail over last year's champion Leylah Fernandez of Canada, 6-1, 7-6, in the round of 16 of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open on Thursday morning (Manila time) at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center, Washington, United States.
Ranked No. 28 in the world, Eala also exacted revenge over the No. 36 Filipino-Canadian after losing in their first face-off at the Stuttgart Open last April 14. .
After easily taking the first frame, Eala needed to climb an uphill battle as Fernandez grabbed a 5-1 lead and was poised to forge a deciding third set.
However, Eala dug deep and matched the defending champ’s pace with her strong forehand swings to pull off a stunning rally and take a 6-5 lead.
Not to be outdone, Fernandez retaliated by leveling the score at 6-all.
In the tiebreak, it was an all-Eala show as she outsmarted Fernandez with a series of placement shot to secure the win.
This is Eala's fifth quarterfinals appearance in the 2026 WTA season.
She will next face either Polina Kudermetova of Russia or Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the quarterfinals.
The match between No. 108 Kudermetova and No. 10 Svitolina is scheduled on Friday at 8 a.m. (Manila time).
With Svitolina heavily favored, Eala could be in line for a rematch against the higher-ranked player. The Filipina previously defeated the Ukrainian 6-3, 6-4 at the ASB Classic on June 20.
