Alex Eala faces rising Croatian Petra Marcinko in ASB Classic Round of 16

Alex Eala will look to continue her strong run at the ASB Classic in Auckland as she takes on Croatian Petra Marcinko in the Round of 16 on Thursday, January 8.

Fresh off a confidence-boosting 4–6, 6–4, 6–4 victory over Paris 2024 Olympics silver medalist Donna Vekic in the Round of 32, Eala now faces another unfamiliar but dangerous opponent. 

[RELATED: Alex Eala bucks pain to win 3-set thriller over Donna Vekic at ASB Classic]

The Filipina has never gone up against the 20-year-old Marcinko, who currently sits at world no. 82, below Eala’s no. 53 ranking—but arrives with a résumé that suggests she is far from an easy out.

Like Eala, Marcinko owns one WTA 125 title, having captured the 2025 ATV Tennis Open in Rome where she defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva, one of Eala’s former doubles partners.

While still relatively new to the WTA Tour, Marcinko is a proven winner on the ITF circuit, boasting 11 singles titles, highlighted by an incredible stretch of eight consecutive Finals victories from March 2022 to August 2025. 

She also closed out last year by lifting a W100 trophy in Dubai in December.

Marcinko showed her grit in the opening round by outlasting Camila Osorio, 6–4, 0–6, 7–6(2), underlining her ability to survive tight, momentum-swinging battles.

For Eala, the matchup presents a different challenge—one that leans less on marquee pedigree and more on consistency and composure. 

Having already navigated matches against more established names on tour, Eala will look to draw from those experiences as she aims to outmaneuver a fellow rising talent eager to announce herself on the WTA stage.

With contrasting paths but similar hunger, Eala–Marcinko shapes up as a compelling test of poise, patience, and progression as the ASB Classic heats up. The match is pegged for 8:00 a.m. from Auckland.

(With reports from Luisa Morales)

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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.]