By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Alex Eala delivered one of the biggest victories of her young career after defeating World’s No. 2 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, 7-5, 6-4, to reach the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 Berlin Open in Berlin, Germany yesterday (Philippine time).

The Negrense tennis star, who entered the tournament as a wildcard, overcame an early deficit in the opening set before completing a straight-sets triumph over the former Wimbledon champion.

Rybakina appeared in control after building a 4-1 lead behind a barrage of aces, but Eala steadily worked her way back into the match.

The 21-year-old held serve consistently, applied pressure on returns, and eventually broke Rybakina late in the set before taking a 7-5 victory.

Eala maintained her momentum in the second frame, dictating rallies and taking advantage of errors from the Kazakh standout.

She moved ahead 5-3 and, despite a late response from Rybakina, served out the match to secure a place in the last eight.

The victory marked Eala’s first win over a player ranked No. 2 in the world and added another significant milestone to her rapid rise on the WTA Tour.

Asked about her approach against one of the tour’s most powerful servers, Eala pointed to a mindset that has become central to her game.

“I think you have to give yourself grace while also being brave,” Eala said.

“I think returning and my game in general — a highlight word would be to be brave. And it makes a big difference when I’m able to do that,” she added.

With the victory, Eala advances to the quarterfinals, where she will face Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, to continue her impressive run on grass as she builds momentum heading into the Wimbledon season./ASC, WDJ