Alex Eala defeated Elena Rybakina, 7-5, 6-4, in the second round of the Berlin Open.
The Filipina fought back from 4-1 down in the first set to secure one of the biggest wins of her professional career.
Eala outclassed a former Wimbledon champion and the current world number two, clinching the win in an hour and 32 minutes.
Where does Alex Eala’s victory over Elena Rybakina rank among the best wins of her career?
She's through to the quarter-finals in Berlin!
After the match, Eala delivered her verdict on the win, making an interesting comment about her opponent.
Alex Eala claims Elena Rybakina is the ‘one to beat’ after knocking her out of the Berlin Open
Before talking to Andrea Petkovic, Eala took a phone call after converting match point.
During her post-match interview, Eala was asked who she called.
“I called my dad!” she said.
“I just said, ‘Oh my god’, we were just screaming, my mum was there too, I’m really happy.”
The 21-year-old continued, commenting on the match itself
“I’m a little foggy right now; I’m still shaking, and I was shaking on the match point too!” said Eala.
“But no, I’m really happy with today; of course, it could have gone either way. I think there were really right moments in both sets, and of course, she is an amazing player.
“She is the one to beat, so I’m happy to have been able to share the court with her again.”
It’s interesting to hear Eala describe Rybakina as ‘the one to beat’, given the rankings tell a different story.
Aryna Sabalenka is the world number one, not Rybakina.
However, Eala has now played Rybakina twice, whereas she has yet to meet Sabalenka on the WTA Tour.
Eala lost their first career meeting earlier this year in Rome, but levelled the head-to-head with a sensational performance in the German capital.
How far will Elena Rybakina go at Wimbledon this year?
The world number two is really struggling…
The Filipina now has two wins over a world number two and five top-10 wins altogether.
Alex Eala’s top-10 wins
- 1. 2025 Miami Open 3R vs #5 Madison Keys, 6-4, 6-2
- 2. 2025 Miami Open QF vs #2 Iga Swiatek, 6-2, 7-5
- 3. 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships 2R vs #8 Jasmine Paolini, 6-1, 7-5
- 4. 2026 Indian Wells 3R vs #4 Coco Gauff, 6-2, 2-0 (RET)
- 5. 2026 Berlin Open 2R vs #2 Elena Rybakina, 7-5, 6-4
To clinch her fifth top-10 win, Eala needed to produce a remarkable comeback from 4-1 down in the first set.
During her on-court interview, she explained what changed for her after a tricky start.
“I think she really started on fire; she came out hot, I think I was able to get a couple of free points with my serve, and I think that helped,” said Eala.
Alex Eala vs Elena Rybakina – Match stats
| Stats | Alex Eala | Elena Rybakina |
| Aces | 4 | 13 |
| Double faults | 3 | 4 |
| 1st Serve % | 69% | 61% |
| Winners | 11 | 28 |
| Unforced errors | 19 | 41 |
| Break points | 3/7 | 1/2 |
| Total points won | 72 | 64 |
“She did, I don’t know how many aces in the first couple of games, so I think getting the point in play was a big help for me!”
Finally, Petkovic asked Eala to comment on her return, which she described as one of the best on the WTA Tour.
“I think you have to give yourself grace while also being brave. I think for me, returning, and my game in general, a highlight word would be to be brave, and it makes a big difference when I’m able to do that,” she said.
Eala was brave against Rybakina and will need to be just as brave when she returns for her quarter-final match.
Who will Alex Eala play in the Berlin Open quarter-finals?
Eala will play Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals.
2026 Berlin Open quarter-finals
- [1] Aryna Sabalenka vs Nikola Bartunkova
- [3] Jessica Pegula vs Madison Keys
- [8] Linda Noskova vs Paula Badosa
- [6] Elina Svitolina vs Alex Eala
Svitolina and Eala have never met before in singles, although they did play against each other at the ASB Classic doubles event in January.
There, Eala and Iva Jovic defeated Svitolina and Venus Williams in straight sets.
Playing for the first time in singles, Eala and Svitolina will battle it out for a place in the semi-finals on Friday, June 19.
