LIVE: Alex Eala vs Donna Vekic – Berlin Open Round of 32
- Alex Eala’s grass-court swing continues at the Berlin Open against Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the round of 32 at Steffi Graf Stadion.
Berlin Open schedule
- 5:00 p.m. – Alex Eala vs Donna Vekic – round of 32
Alex Eala beats Donna Vekic in dazzling Berlin Open debut
FILE–The Philippines’ Alexandra Eala hits a volley against China’s Shuai Zhang during their round of 32, singles match at the HSBC WTA tennis Championships at Queen’s Club in west London on June 9, 2026. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala cooled off red-hot Donna Vekic, 7-5, 6-4, to advance to the round of 16 of the Berlin Open on Wednesday (Manila time) at Steffi Graf Stadion in Germany.
Eala beat Vekic for the second time in just five months in a high-level match that felt like a continuation of their ASB Classic first-round duel won by the rising Filipino in three sets.
It only took Eala a pair of sets this time, but the victory didn’t come any easier against the confident Croatian, who’s coming off a crowning moment at Queen’s Club in London on Friday.
LIVE: Alex Eala vs Donna Vekic – Berlin Open
- Refresh this page for live updates.
Putting on a SHOW! 🤩
Alex Eala defeats Vekic in straight sets and moves on in Berlin. #BTO26 pic.twitter.com/pemfZP7Ojd
— wta (@WTA) June 17, 2026
- FINAL: Alex Eala gets a big win over Donna Vekic, 7-5, 6-4, in her Berlin Open debut.
- Another good serve from Eala, deuce.
- Eala short. Vekic advantage
- Eala wins the rally, deuce.
- Eala fights back, 15-40
- Vekic break point, 40-0
- Vekic back-to-back strong returns, 30-0
- Eala out. Vekic stays alive, 4-5. Eala serving for the match
- Vekic ace, 40-30
- Match resumes. Eala service winner to move on the cusp of victory, 5-3.
- Vekic sitting still, Eala trying to stay active as both wait for the resumption
- Match momentarily stops as a spectator receives medical assistance.
- Vekic nice touch on the drop. Eala 40-30
- Eala on point, 40-15
- Seven aces now for Eala in this match
- Eala ace, 30-15
- Vekic staying close. Eala 4-3
- Eala out. Vekic 40-15
- Vekic nifty down the line
- Eala service winner, back with a two-point cushion at 4-2
- Vekic botches an easy point. Eala 40-15
- Vekic with a big return. Eala 30-15
- Vekic rolls to trim Eala’s lead, 2-3
- Vekic 40-0
- Frustration is showing from Vekic
- Eala survives, to stretch her lead to 3-1
- Eala apologizes after getting help from the net.
- Eala long. Vekic break point, 40-30
- Vekic with a second straight ace, returns the favor and serves to love. Eala 2-1
- Vekic ace, 40-0
- Eala on a roll, serves to love, 2-0.
- Eala breaks Vekic early to open the 2nd set, 1-0
Tennis level = 💯
Alex Eala takes the first set 7-5 over Vekic. #BTO26 pic.twitter.com/PmRpsC0NbN
— wta (@WTA) June 17, 2026
ADVERTISEMENT
- Eala gets it done in a very challenging first set, 7-5.
- Eala set point, 40-30
- Eala double fault, 15-all
- Eala serving for the set
- Eala breaks for a crucial 6-5 edge
- Eala break point, 40-30
- Eala slips but quickly gets back up and appears fine. Vekic 30-0
- Eala evens, 5-5
- Eala again forces Vekic to make a mistake, 40-0
- Vekic errors. Eala 30-0
- Game of runs. Vekic three straight games won to reclaim the lead, 5-4
- Vekic ace, advantage
- Vekic ace, 40-30
- Eala successfully attacks the net, 30-all
- Vekic and Eala going back-and-forth, one big swing after another
- Eala unforced error. Vekic levels at 4-4
- Eala furious forehand for an emphatic end to a rally
- Eala double fault sends Vekic at break point, 40-15
- Vekic ends a four-game run by Eala, which leads 4-3
- Eala comes back from 0-40 to go up 4-2
- Eala fools Vekic, saves second break point, 30-40
- Eala ace, 15-40.
- Eala makes it three in a row to take the driver’s seat, 3-2.
- Vekic saves after an Eala error
- Eala break point, 40-15
- Vekic service winner. Eala 30-15
- Eala three aces in the fourth game to tie it up at 2-2
- Eala again with an ace, 40-0
- Eala another ace, 15-0
- Eala breaks back, gets on the board trailing, 1-2.
- Eala break point
- Vekic breaks for a 2-0 lead
- Vekic fourth break point
- Eala keeps fighting back
- Vekic third break point
- Vekic break point
- Eala ace to force the deuce.
- Vekic gets the headstart, 1-0.
- Eala overcame Vekic in three sets in the ASB Classic first round in Auckland last January.
- The Berlin duel marks Eala and Vekic’s second meeting in just five months.
- Donna Vekic riding high after winning the WTA 500 HSBC Championships, beating home bet Emma Raducanu in the final.
- Alex Eala back in action exactly a week after a second-round loss to close friend Iva Jovic at Queen’s Club.
Alex Eala opens Berlin Open campaign vs Donna Vekic
The Philippines’ Alexandra Eala watches the ball during her round of 32, singles match against China’s Shuai Zhang at the HSBC WTA tennis Championships at Queen’s Club in west London on June 9, 2026. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines —Alex Eala will face Donna Vekic of Croatia in the round of 32 of the Berlin Open this week.
Eala, a wildcard entry in the WTA 500 tournament, continues her grass-court season against a familiar foe.
She beat Vekic in their first duel last January in the ASB Classic, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
The Filipino tennis ace is coming off a title run at the Birmingham Open last week, followed by a second-round exit to American rising star Iva Jovic.
Alex Eala receives wildcard entry to Berlin Open
Philippines’ Alexandra Eala in action during her semi-final match against Rebeka Masarova, on day eight of the Lexus Birmingham Open Championships at Edgbaston Priory Club, Birmingham, England, Saturday June 6, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala is headed to the Berlin Open after receiving a wildcard entry into the tournament.
The social media pages of the Berlin Open, a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 500 event, confirmed Eala’s participation in the tournament scheduled from June 15 to 21.
Eala is coming off her second WTA 125 title after defeating Nikola Bartunkova, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, in the Birmingham Open final on Sunday.
The Filipino tennis ace then shifted to the WTA 500 HSBC Championships in England, where her run ended in the Round of 16 following a 2-6, 2-6 loss to American rising star Iva Jovic.
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
