Alex Eala wished her opponent Jelena Ostapenko well, after she was forced to retire in the Round of 16 of the 2025 Eastbourne Open due to a left ankle injury.
Alex Eala moved into the quarterfinals of the 2025 Eastbourne Open in bittersweet fashion after her Round of 16 opponent, former Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostapenko, retired due to injury midway through the deciding set.
Ostapenko, who twisted her left ankle early in the third set, had already taken a medical timeout at 1-2 before ultimately calling it quits. Eala was declared the winner of the match, 0-6, 6-2, 3-2.
[ALSO READ: Alex Eala bucks flat start, moves on to Eastbourne Open QF as Jelena Ostapenko retires]
The Filipina tennis star had fought back from a slow start to level the match and was gaining momentum in the final frame when the Latvian star withdrew.
"It's never a good feeling to finish a match like that,” Eala said after the match. “I hope everything's okay with her because it was really a tough battle today, and I think both of us were on the brink.”
Despite the unfortunate end, the 20-year-old Eala acknowledged the intensity of the match and her respect for the world no. 20.
"It could have been anyone's match, so I wish her a speedy recovery. I’m just super happy to be able to play again in this beautiful place."
The win mirrors Eala’s earlier upset over Ostapenko at the Miami Open in March, which marked a turning point in her breakthrough season.
In that tournament, Eala beat Ostapenko in the round of 64 and Madison Keys in the round of 32 before getting a walkover against Paula Badosa in the round of 16. The Filipina then beat Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals before she was halted by Jessica Pegula in the Cinderella run.
Eala now advances to face Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska in the quarterfinals, eyeing her deepest run yet in a WTA 250 event and grass court tournament.
“I love grass. I think it's growing on me, definitely. As you said, the grass season is not so long and I haven't had many to be honest, so I'm just enjoying the new experiences and obviously, traveling to new places and a place as beautiful as this is just amazing to play in,” Eala ended.