MANILA — Alexandra Eala opened her campaign at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz with a solid 6-4, 6-3 triumph over hometown bet Julia Grabher.
The match proved more competitive than the scoreline indicated, as Grabher repeatedly threatened Eala’s serve in the opening set. Still, the Filipina held steady, fending off break points before delivering a decisive break late in the set.
Grabher continued to fight in the second frame and managed to convert a break opportunity, but Eala quickly regained momentum. The rising star broke back immediately and sealed the victory with confidence.
Statistically, Eala made the most of her chances, converting three of seven break points, while Grabher managed only one conversion from 10 attempts.
Eala now advances to a high-profile matchup against Jelena Ostapenko, whom she has already defeated twice last year. She will look to extend that winning run in their upcoming encounter.
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