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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Alex Eala draws strength from crowd as she sets up thrilling showdown vs Jelena Ostapenko

Alex Eala draws strength from crowd as she sets up thrilling showdown vs Jelena Ostapenko

Published Apr 8, 2026 02:00 pm

At A Glance

  • Eala expressed her gratitude to the fans -- mostly Filipinos -- who turned out to cheer her on against the hometown bet, setting up a highly anticipated rematch with Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostapenko in this WTA 500 event.
Alex Eala wins her first match on clay this season against Julia Grabher at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz. (WTA Linz)
Alex Eala wins her first match on clay this season against Julia Grabher at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz. (WTA Linz)
As expected, Alex Eala fed off the roaring support of the crowd as she opened her clay season in style, defeating Julia Grabher 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the Upper Austria Ladies Linz on Wednesday, April 8 (Philippine time).
Eala expressed her gratitude to the fans -- mostly Filipinos -- who turned out to cheer her on against the hometown bet, setting up a highly anticipated rematch with Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostapenko in this WTA 500 event.
“It means so much. Hello, mga kababayan. Hindi ko inakala ang dami ninyo dito sa Linz, pero salamat sa pagsubaybay sa mga laban ko at magkita tayo tomorrow,” Eala addressed the crowd after her game.
She later on added the crowd support gave her an extra boost on court, helping her stay focused and confident throughout the intense rallies.
“I'm really happy with how they've welcomed me and welcomed the Filipinos. I guess we match really well because there are a lot of them here, so I'm really thankful for the hospitality. I hope to discover your culture more and have some fun on the court,” the world No. 46 Eala said.
Still, she needed more than the crowd boost in her match against Ostapenko, set later in the day (Philippine time). The world No. 14 Latvian received an opening-round bye.
It has been a year since she and Ostapenko met, with the Filipina ace winning both encounters -- first during the Filipina’s breakthrough run at the 2025 Miami Open, where she stunned the Latvian in the Round of 64, and again at the Eastbourne Open a few months later, where Eala outlasted her in three sets.
But Ostapenko, is one player not to be taken lightly, especially on clay, as she boasts of winning the 2017 French Open title.
The 28-year-old Latvian is also on the hunt for her first WTA crown this year, coming close at the Qatar Open last February where she lost in the finals to Victoria Mboko.

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