Alex Eala Advances to Sao Paulo Open Quarterfinals

The Philippines’ Alex Eala continued her impressive run on the professional tennis circuit, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Sao Paulo Open with a commanding 6-1, 6-4 victory over Argentina’s Julia Riera in their Round of 16 matchup on Wednesday.

This win marked Eala’s third WTA quarterfinal appearance of the season, while also stretching her winning streak to seven matches. Her strong form dates back to her recent breakthrough at the Guadalajara Open, where she secured her first WTA 125 singles title.

Currently ranked world No. 65 and seeded third in the Sao Paulo tournament, the 20-year-old Filipina has quickly established herself as one of the rising stars on the women’s tour.

Southeast Asian Showdown: Eala vs. Tjen

Eala’s next challenge comes in the form of Indonesia’s Janice Tjen, setting up an all-Southeast Asian quarterfinal showdown. Tjen, who has reached a career-high ranking of No. 130, secured her spot in the last eight with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Slovakia’s Martina Okalova.

For Tjen, this is her first-ever quarterfinal appearance at a WTA Tour-level event, a milestone in what has already been a history-making season for the Indonesian player.

Making History at the US Open

Both Eala and Tjen made headlines at the recent US Open, each achieving groundbreaking victories for their respective nations.

• Eala became the first Filipino player to win a singles match in the Open era of the Grand Slam tournaments after defeating 14th seed Clara Tauson of Denmark in the first round.

• Tjen, meanwhile, pulled off a stunning upset against 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova, making her the first Indonesian to claim a main draw singles win at a Grand Slam since 2004.

The two players now carry that momentum into their Sao Paulo quarterfinal showdown, which will be their first professional meeting.

Road to the Last Four

Should Eala defeat Tjen and secure a spot in the semifinals, she is projected to face second seed Solana Sierra of Argentina, currently ranked world No. 82. Sierra is favored to overcome 85th-ranked Francesca Jones of Great Britain in her own quarterfinal clash.

Eala’s push for a first WTA 250 title would add to her Guadalajara success and further solidify her standing in the women’s game.

Previous Encounters With Riera

Eala’s latest victory over Julia Riera also underscored her ability to bounce back from past defeats. In 2024, Riera defeated Eala in a hard-fought three-set match during the French Open qualifiers. However, Eala responded later in the year with a straight-sets victory over Riera at the ITF W100 Cary event.

Her most recent win in Sao Paulo reaffirmed her mastery over the Argentine, providing a confidence boost as she heads deeper into the tournament.

Looking Ahead

The Eala–Tjen matchup highlights the rise of Southeast Asian talent in the global tennis stage. Both players, still early in their professional careers, are making significant strides not only for themselves but also for their countries’ presence in world tennis.

As the Sao Paulo Open continues, all eyes will be on Eala as she aims to carry her momentum forward and take another step toward a historic WTA 250 crown.