ASB Classic Auckland Round-Up | Alexandra Eala thrills with epic Donna Vekic comeback win

In one of the games of the day on the WTA Tour, Alexandra Eala quelled the charge of Donna Vekic in a superb 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 win to reach the Last 16 where she faces Petra Marcinko at the ASB Classic in Auckland.

Eala who has a legion of fans wherever she goes mainly from her home country of the Philippines has already played albeit in the doubles where she teamed with her fellow rising star Iva Jovic to face ironically a veteran team in Venus Williams and Elina Svitolina. They advanced to the round of 16 and now it is her turn in singles.

Marcinko herself booked her spot after taking down Camila Osorio, a former top 30 player to reach the latter stages where she now takes on Eala.

“It’s so special,” Eala said post match on court. "If there’s one thing I learned in 2025 it’s that home is the people and not the place. Thank you everyone.”

“Like you said, she’s such an experienced player and super talented and definitely very decorated,” Eala continued.

“I really had a tough time today but I’m most happy about being able to compete and show up at the level like this, especially after such a tough preseason and so many things that have happened over the past month, so I’m proud about that, yeah.”

Eala struggled early on. She went 3-0 up but it was far from comfortable as she had issues handling the high balls from Vekic. The Croat capitalised on Eala's errors to take the first set after it looked for all the want of trying to be on the racquet of the Philippines ace. However Eala regrouped in the second holding firm against Vekic to grow into the contest and force a deciding set. In the third, Eala delivered breaking multiple times to seal the win and stun Vekic who has been soul searching after falling down the rankings.

After an incredible 2024, she has not managed to replicate that in what was her best year of her career so far. While Eala on the otherhand has gone from strength to strength and with Emma Navarro also losing early, she will be one of the favourites for the title.

Elsewhere, Sonay Kartal took down Indonesian star Janice Tjen in three sets with mirroring results as the Brit took the opener 6-1 but lost the second narrowly in tie-break. Kartal then sealed the third 6-3 to claim the win. Of course Venus Williams through the night was defeated by Magda Linette in three tough sets that will give fans of the great America real hope that she can return to her best before her career ends. Ella Seidel opened up with a win over Monique Barry easily 6-2, 6-1.

Alycia Parks was defeated by Elisabetta Cocciaretto pretty easily 6-2, 7-5 in favour of the Italian while Elina Svitolina thrashed Varvara Gracheva 6-3, 6-1. Svitolina alongside Eala and also Iva Jovic who plays later realistically will be favourites to seal the title later in the week.

Jovic faces off against Sara Bejlek in the first game of tonight's action as she looks to back up her superb doubles opener again. The 18-year-old American begins a first full year on the tour without age restriction meaning she has to play less tournaments and after a standout year in 2025, her and Eala will blaze a trail not only in doubles but also in singles too this week in Auckland.