Filipina tennis player Alex Eala and Mexican partner Renata Zarazua are bracing for their toughest test yet at Roland Garros — one of the hottest unseeded teams in Olga Danilovic and Anastasia Potapova.
After a triumphant French Open debut, Alex Eala and Renata Zarazua now face a high-stakes clash against one of the most dangerous unseeded duos in the draw.
The Filipina-Mexican tandem returns to the clay courts of Roland Garros to battle Serbia’s Olga Danilovic and Russia’s Anastasia Potapova — a pair fresh off a stunning comeback victory over seventh seeds Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk — for a spot in the third round of the 2025 French Open women’s doubles.
Match time is set for 9:20 p.m. Friday, May 30 (Philippine time).
Both teams are unseeded, but the stakes — and skill sets — suggest otherwise.
Eala and Zarazua played their way into form in the opening round, defeating Great Britain’s Emily Appleton and Spain’s Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers, 7-5, 6-4, in a tightly contested match that lasted an hour and a half.
[ALSO READ: Alex Eala victorious in Grand Slam doubles debut at Roland Garros]
It was a bounce-back performance for the Filipina tennis ace , who bowed out of the singles draw in the opening round after a three-set loss to Colombia’s Emiliana Arango.
[ALSO READ: Alex Eala goes one and done in French Open debut, losing in three sets after rain delay]
But the 20-year-old and her 27-year-old partner now face a far steeper challenge.
Danilovic and Potapova clawed back from a 1-6, 2-4 deficit and saved multiple break points to complete a come-from-behind 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 upset over the American seventh seeds, firing 41 winners in the process.
Danilovic, ranked no. 34, is Serbia’s top-ranked women’s player and owns two singles titles and two doubles crowns.
She reached the fourth round of the Australian Open earlier this year and added a WTA 125 title in Antalya in March.
Potapova, currently ranked no. 37, is a former junior world no. 1 and the 2016 Wimbledon girls’ singles champion.
She captured three WTA singles titles and three doubles crowns, with her most recent in doubles coming at the 2017 Prague Open.
With momentum riding high on both sides, the clash promises to be a compelling battle — one that could determine which dark horse continues to defy expectations in Paris.
(With reports from Pao Ambat)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]