Filipina tennis star Alex Eala kicked off her Wimbledon campaign with a dominant performance, dispatching Mexico's Renata Zarazua 6-1, 6-2 in just one hour and 18 minutes on Tuesday night, June 30, 2026 (Philippine time), in London.
Eala, currently ranked world No. 32 and seeded No. 29 at the prestigious tournament, took control after an early 1-1 tie in the first set. She then won four consecutive games to build a 5-1 lead.
First set battle
In the seventh game, Eala surged to a 40-0 advantage and seemed poised to close out the set early. However, Zarazua mounted a surprising comeback, forcing seven deuces. Despite the resistance, Eala capitalized on Zarazua's errors to secure the game and claim the set.
Second set dominance
Eala carried her momentum into the second set, racing to a 2-0 lead that she never relinquished, ultimately sealing the victory without dropping another game.
Second round rematch
In the second round, Eala will face a rematch against Australian Maya Joint, who defeated Eala 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (12-10) in their previous encounter at the 2025 Eastbourne finals. Joint advanced to the second round with an impressive victory over legendary American player Serena Williams, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.
