Eala Advances in Nottingham Open Qualifying

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala overcame France’s Varvara Gracheva 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to win her first-round match in the Nottingham Open qualifiers in England.

Eala battled to recover momentum after dropping the second set, ultimately prevailing in the decisive third.

The win came a day after her quarterfinal exit at the Ilkley Open, highlighting her quick return to form.

“I fought hard, especially in the final set, and I’m happy to have pulled through,” Eala said after the match.

Eala pressured Gracheva’s serve en route to a 5-2 lead in the first set before being broken, but she quickly broke back and sealed the win.

World No. 77 Eala now faces Romania’s Anca Todoni, ranked No. 87, aiming for one of six qualifying spots in the main draw.

Todoni earlier beat Jodie Burrage 7-6(7-2), 6-1 to set up the second-round clash.

Eala’s win follows her strong performance on grass, including her hard-fought Ilkley quarterfinal against Canada’s Rebecca Marino, where she also took a set before bowing out.

Observers note that Eala’s agility and poise on grass courts reflect her adaptability as she prepares for a potential Wimbledon debut later this month.

A victory over Todoni would bring Eala one step closer to the main draw of the WTA 250 Nottingham Open.

The Filipina remains focused on continuing her momentum and improving her world ranking through success on the grass-court circuit.