Philippines tennis star Alexandra Eala delivered a stunning comeback Wednesday at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, rallying in the deciding set to beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(5).
The world No. 45 rewarded the fans with a performance reminiscent of her 2025 US Open upset against Clara Tauson. Eala now advances to her second consecutive quarterfinal appearance, after reaching the same stage at last week's inaugural Philippine Women's Open on home soil.
Sasnovich dominated early, controlling baseline rallies and building a 31-18 winner advantage in the opening set. The veteran carried her aggressive play into the second set, breaking early before Eala leveled the frame.
After saving multiple second-set break opportunities, Eala finally converted when it mattered most, breaking Sasnovich while serving at 5-4 to force a decisive third set.
Sasnovich surged to a 4-0 lead in the final set, later holding match point while serving at 5-4. However, Eala refused to surrender, saving the match point and winning three consecutive games to reach 6-5 before Sasnovich forced a tiebreak.
In the tiebreaker, Sasnovich led 5-4 before Eala closed with three straight points to secure the dramatic victory after two hours and 46 minutes.
How to watch Alexandra Eala in the Abu Dhabi Open quarterfinal
The 20-year-old Filipina sensation next faces No. 2 Ekaterina Alexandrova in Thursday's quarterfinals, taking the court at 8 AM ET live on the Tennis Channel.
