Standing in the way of Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala and a semifinal berth at the WTA 125 Ilkley Open is reigning champion Rebecca Marino of Canada.
Alex Eala’s path to the WTA 125 Ilkley Open semifinals now runs through defending champion Rebecca Marino.
The Filipina tennis ace is set for what could be her toughest test yet — a quarterfinal showdown against eighth-seeded Marino on Friday (PH time), June 13.
Match time is set for 6:00 p.m.
Eala enters the matchup in fine form, coming off a commanding 6-1, 6-2 win over Switzerland’s Valentina Ryser in the Round of 16 — a measure of revenge after Ryser ousted her earlier this year in Slovakia.
[ALSO READ: Alex Eala settles score with Valentina Ryser, advances to quarterfinals of Ilkley Open]
So far, the 20-year-old lefty has yet to drop a set in Ilkley, showing sharpness in just her second grass-court tournament of the season following an early exit at the Birmingham Classic.
But Marino poses a different kind of challenge.
A 34-year-old veteran and former world no. 38, Marino captured the Ilkley title last year — her first career WTA grass-court crown — after a gritty comeback against France’s Jessika Ponchet, 4–6, 6–1, 6–4.
Now seeded eighth in the tournament, the Canadian showed her resilience after digging deep to defeat local hopeful Emily Appleton, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, in their Round of 16 duel.
It marks the first career meeting between Eala and Marino, with the winner facing either Great Britain’s Amarni Banks or 19-year-old Swiss prospect Celine Naef in semifinals.
(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.]