Sports
Alex Eala beats Elina Svitolina again, reaches DC Open semifinals
Alexandra Eala of the Philippines celebrates during a women’s singles match against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine on day five of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 31, 2026 in Washington, DC. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala repeated her victory over world No. 10 Elina Svitolina, beating the Ukrainian in straight sets once again, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the semifinals of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open.
Eala continued to have Svitolina’s number after also defeating her on the grass courts of the Berlin Open in June by the same 6-3, 6-4 scoreline.
LIVE: Alex Eala vs Elina Svitolina – Mubadala DC Open quarterfinals
“I don’t think that it’s specifically because of who I’m up against. I think I came in with a great mindset today. I think I was playing really well,” Eala said when asked about her matchup with Svitolina, the tournament’s second seed.
“Of course, Elina hit some good shots. She was being aggressive, especially in that second set, so I’m really happy that I was able to keep my rhythm kind of.”
What it means 💚
Alexandra Eala moves past Svitolina for a place in the semifinals!#MubadalaDCOpen pic.twitter.com/6R9HEt7oR5
— wta (@WTA) August 1, 2026
Eala overcame a 3-1 deficit in the second set after Svitolina, looking to force a decider, came out strong and consolidated an early break.
The 21-year-old Filipino tennis star strung together three straight games to take a 4-3 lead. Svitolina held to level at 4-4, but Eala responded by winning the final two games, breaking serve to seal the match.
READ: Alex Eala humbled by growing fan support, embraces responsibility
She faces third-seeded Naomi Osaka, who advanced earlier Saturday, in the semifinals.
The victory was Eala’s sixth over a Top 10 player on the WTA Tour, further cementing her reputation as one of the tour’s rising stars.
“There are so many things that I’ve learned about the tour, about myself, about kind of what it takes to sustain this level, both physically and mentally, and just the effort you need to have to hang with these top players and stay there,” Eala said.
Alexandra Eala of the Philippines shakes hands with Elina Svitolina of Ukraine after a women’s singles match on day five of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 31, 2026 in Washington, DC. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images/AFP
The world No. 28 came out firing and traded breaks with Svitolina through the opening five games before holding for a 4-2 lead in the first set.
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Svitolina held for the first time to pull within 4-3 and was on the verge of leveling the set before Eala rallied from 0-40 down to hold for a 5-3 advantage, then broke serve to close it out.
Eala continues her buildup for the US Open, the year’s final Grand Slam tournament, later this month.
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