Alex Eala nails maiden Wimbledon main draw win with rout of Mexican

MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala has gone from only dreaming of playing in the Wimbledon Championships to winning a main draw match on its famed grass.

The Filipina marches on to the next stage of her favorite Grand Slam after a dominant 6-1, 6-2 win over Mexico’s Renata Zarazua in the round of 128 at Court 12 of the All England Club on Tuesday, June 30 (Wednesday, July 1, Manila time).

Seeded in a major for the first time in her career at No. 29, Eala lived up to her billing as she redeemed herself from losing to the world No. 75 Mexican in their first-ever WTA encounter.

The victory came two years after Eala, then only 19 years old and ranked 144th in the world, fell prey to Zarazua in three sets in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Cary Tennis Classic in the United States.

Now 21 years old and the world No. 32 player, Eala proved how far she has come as she made quick work of the 28-year-old Mexican in 1 hour and 17 minutes.

The match could have ended sooner if not for a lengthy sixth game in the first set marked with seven deuces before Eala broke Zarazua to build a commanding 5-1 lead.

It was practically a breeze from there as Eala never looked threatened, with the Filipina finishing off Zarazua with one of her 22 winners. 

Eala raised her record on grass this year to 10-3 as she advanced past the opening round of a Grand Slam for the second time in her career after her breakthrough win in the 2025 US Open, where she stunned Denmark’s Clara Tauson. 

She also improved on her Wimbledon campaign last year, which saw Eala crash out of the first round following a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 loss to 2024 champion Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic.

Another familiar foe awaits Eala in the round of 64 as she battles Australia’s Maya Joint, who outlasted 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams of the United States in a 6-3, 7-6 (6), 6-3 victory.

Eala missed out on her first-ever WTA Tour title after a heartbreaking three-set defeat to Joint in the final of the 2025 Eastbourne Open in Great Britain.

Their second-round clash is tentatively scheduled on Thursday, July 2. – Rappler.com