Guadalajara: Filipino tennis player Alex Eala has advanced to the finals of the Guadalajara 125 Open following a decisive victory over American competitor Kayla Day, with scores of 6-2, 6-3 at the Panamerican Tennis Center hardcourt in Zapopan, Mexico. Eala's performance on Saturday morning (Manila time) secured her a spot in the final round.
According to Philippines News Agency, Eala is set to face Hungarian player Panna Udvardy in the finals. Udvardy earned her place in the final match by defeating Russian Maria Kozyreva with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-4. Eala, currently ranked world No. 75, reached the semifinals after winning against Italian Nicole Fossa Huergo, American Varvara Lepchenko, and Dutch Arianne Hartono.
Udvardy, holding the world No. 134 ranking, progressed through the tournament by overcoming Mexican Jessica Hinojosa Gomez, Czech Nikola Bartnkova, and British fourth seed Francesca Jones in her previous matches. Eala, who trained at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain, began her Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour journey in 2021 and has since built an impressive career.
In March 2025, at the Miami Open, Eala achieved significant victories over Grand Slam champions Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek, reaching the semifinal round. However, she was eventually defeated by American Jessica Pegula. Eala's noteworthy accomplishments include winning the US Open Junior singles title in 2022 and reaching her first WTA finals at the Lexus Eastbourne Open in June 2025.
During the recent US Open, Eala made history by becoming the first Filipino to win a main draw match at a Grand Slam event, defeating world No. 14 Carla Tauson of Denmark but falling short in the second round against Spanish player Cristina Bucsa. The final match of the Guadalajara 125 Open is scheduled for Sunday morning (Manila time).
