ALEX Eala found no better way to open her 2026 campaign, surviving a two-hour and 40-minute thriller, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, against gritty Donna Vekic in her WTA 250 ASB Classic stint in Auckland, New Zealand on Tuesday night, Manila time.
After forcing a decider, the Filipina world No. 53 grinded through a tense third set that featured three deadlocks.
Locked at 3-3, Eala wrested control, winning two straight games to regain the lead at 5-3 over the 29-year-old Croatian. Vekic pulled one game back before Eala officially closed it out, 6-4.
READ: Eala, Jovic oust Venus and partner in impressive doubles debut
Eala will next face another Croatian in Petra Marcinko, world No. 82, in the round of 16.
In the opening set, Eala burst out to a 3-0 lead against the Croatian world No. 69. Vekic gradually clawed back, winning three straight games to level the set at 3-3 before both players held serve.
At 4-3, Eala made her best effort to halt Vekic’s momentum, but the Croatian took the final two games to claim the opening set, 6-4.
The Filipina responded in the second set by jumping to another early 2-0 advantage. Vekic stayed close as the set tightened at 3-3, before Eala edged ahead at 4-3.
Eala extended the set to 5-3 and, after conceding a game, closed it out at 6-4 to force the decider.
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