Alex Eala stuns Olympian Vekić in ASB Classic

Alex Eala mounted a rousing comeback to defeat Olympian Donna Vekić, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4, in the Round of 32 of the 2026 ASB Classic on Tuesday in Auckland, New Zealand.

The 20-year-old Filipina reversed an opening-set loss to eliminate the Croatian veteran and advance to the Round of 16 of the season-opening tournament.

Vekić, ranked world No. 69, is the silver medalist from the 2024 Paris Olympics and entered the match as one of the most experienced players in the draw.

Eala, seeded fourth in the tournament, will next face another Croatian opponent, Petra Marčinko, in the second round.

Despite playing far from home, Eala drew energy from a vocal Filipino crowd that supported her throughout the nearly three-hour contest.

“It’s so special and if there’s one thing I’ve learned in 2025, it’s that home is a people and not a place so thank you, everyone. Maraming salamat,” Eala said after the match.

Eala opened the match aggressively and surged to a 3–0 lead in the first set.

Vekić responded with authority, winning six of the next seven games to claim the opening set, 6–4.

In the second set, Eala built a 5–3 advantage before Vekić briefly halted her momentum by taking the next game.

The Filipina regrouped immediately, forcing a deciding third set, though she briefly left the court for a medical timeout before play resumed.

Vekić, 29, earned her first break point of the final set in the eighth game, threatening to swing the match back in her favor.

Eala answered with two consecutive points to hold serve, seize a crucial 5–3 lead, and move within one game of victory.

Back-to-back errors from Eala, including a double fault, allowed Vekić to close the gap to 5–4 and extend the match.

Eala responded with composure, finishing the contest with a powerful forehand winner that sealed the comeback.

“She’s such an experienced player and super talented and definitely decorated so I really had a tough time today. But I’m most happy about being able to compete and show up at a level like this,” Eala said.

The win capped a strong start to Eala’s 2026 campaign in Auckland.

On Monday, Eala and doubles partner Iva Jovic also scored a notable win, defeating Venus Williams and Elina Svitolina 7–6 (7), 6–1 in the Round of 16 of the women’s doubles tournament.

Eala’s singles victory over Vekić underscored her growing presence on the international stage as she opened the new season with confidence and resilience.