Alex Eala lost to Jelena Ostapenko, 4-6, 5-7, in the second round of the Linz Open.
The Filipina had chances to force a deciding set, but couldn’t hold off Ostapenko, who picked up her first win over Eala.
Will Alex Eala ever win a Grand Slam title?
As Eala won her opening match in Linz, she will leave Austria with a 1-1 record on clay.
Not ideal, but here’s why you shouldn’t be concerned…
Alex Eala’s two clay-court matches in 2026 are impossible to judge
A sample size of two matches is limited at the best of times, and even more so when you look at the players Eala faced.
Eala played Julia Grabher in her opening match at the Linz Open, a player who has never won a single match at her home tournament.
Julia Grabher’s record in Linz (0-10)
| Match | Opponent | Result | Score |
| 2026 Linz Open – 1R | Alex Eala | LOSS | 4-6, 3-6 |
| 2025 Linz Open – 1R | Anastasia Potapova | LOSS | 2-6, 2-6 |
| 2023 Linz Open – 1R | Madison Brengle | LOSS | 6-7, 2-6 |
| 2021 Linz Open – 1R | Alize Cornet | LOSS | 6-7, 4-6 |
| 2020 Linz Open – 1R | Sorana Cirstea | LOSS | 3-2 (RET) |
| 2019 Linz Open – 1R | Viktoria Hruncakova | LOSS | 4-6, 2-6 |
| 2017 Linz Open – Q1 | Maryna Zanevska | LOSS | 1-6, 4-6 |
| 2016 Linz Open – Q1 | Kristyna Pliskova | LOSS | 6-4, 4-6, 3-6 |
| 2015 Linz Open – Q1 | Julie Coin | LOSS | 3-6, 1-6 |
| 2014 Linz Open – Q1 | Katarzyna Piter | LOSS | 2-6, 2-6 |
For whatever reason, the Austrian number one always seems to struggle in Linz.
While it’s easy to say in hindsight, when looking at that record, you’d have been shocked if Eala didn’t win her opener!
Then, there’s her second-round match against Ostapenko.
The 2017 French Open champion is famously one of the most inconsistent players in women’s tennis.
From one day to the next, Ostapenko can go from beating the world number one to losing to the world number 100.
Jelena Ostapenko’s ‘best’ wins since 2025
- Vs #1 Aryna Sabalenka – 2025 Stuttgart Open F
- Vs #2 Iga Swiatek – 2025 Stuttgart Open QF
- Vs #2 Iga Swiatek – 2025 Qatar Open SF
- Vs #4 Jasmine Paolini – 2025 Qatar Open 3R
- Vs #7 Jasmine Paolini – 2026 Miami Open 3R
Jelena Ostapenko’s ‘worst’ losses since 2025
- Vs #294 Belinda Bencic – 2025 Australian Open 1R
- Vs #155 Marina Stakusic – 2025 Guadalajara Open 2R
- Vs #140 Alex Eala – 2025 Miami Open 2R
- Vs #139 Taylor Townsend – 2025 US Open 2R
- Vs #108 Priscilla Hon – 2025 China Open 2R
So if her one win in Linz came against a player who is 0-10 at the event, and her one defeat came against a former Grand Slam champion, who on her day is one of the best in the world, can you really draw any conclusions about Eala’s clay-court level?
No, of course you can’t.
Fans of the Filipina will likely need to wait for the Stuttgart Open to find out if she has made a genuine step forward on what has historically been her weakest surface.
Why the Stuttgart Open will tell us if Alex Eala can compete on the clay
When Qinwen Zheng withdrew from the tournament, Eala was promoted to the main draw of the Stuttgart Open.
There, she has the opportunity to play several top-10 players, who are set to compete in the WTA 500 event.
Top eight seeds at the Stuttgart Open
- 1. Aryna Sabalenka
- 2. Elena Rybakina
- 3. Coco Gauff
- 4. Iga Swiatek
- 5. Elina Svitolina
- 6. Jasmine Paolini
- 7. Mirra Andreeva
- 8. Karolina Muchova
If Eala can keep up with the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, we’ll have all the proof we need that she can indeed fight for titles on the clay.
Until then, we’re left guessing if she’s made any improvements from last year, when she won just two matches on the surface.
- Vs #182 Anouk Koevermans – 2025 Oeiras 125 1R
- Vs #64 Viktoriya Tomova – 2025 Madrid Open 1R
Only time will tell what the future holds for Eala on clay, but you certainly won’t want to miss her return to action at the Stuttgart Open.
The 2026 Stuttgart Open begins on Monday, April 13.
