Alex Eala shocks Olympian Donna Vekic with big comeback in ASB Classic Round of 32

Alex Eala turned the tables after dropping the first set, leaving Olympian Donna Vekic stunned with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 win in the 2026 ASB Classic Round of 32 on Tuesday in Auckland, New Zealand. 

The 20-year-old Filipina star weathered Croatia's Vekic, who captured the silver medal during the 2024 Paris Olympics, to advance to the Round of 16 where she will face another Croatian bet in Petra Marcinko. 

Playing miles away from home, it must not have felt that way for Eala as the roar of Filipino fans carried her through a grueling nearly three-hour match.

"It's so special and if there's one thing I've learned in 2025, it's that home is a people and not a place so thank you, everyone. Maraming salamat," Eala, who had to buck a medical issue before the final set, said.

Eala came out firing right from the get-go with a quick 3-0 start against the world no. 69 Vekic. But the Croatian bet flipped the switch and won six of the next seven games to steal the opening frame away from Eala.

Eala raced to a crucial 5-3 lead in the second set, only for Vekic to show her veteran poise and claim the next game. Undeterred, the Philippine star mounted a fierce fightback in the following game to push the match into a deciding third set, though she briefly stepped off the court for a medical timeout.

Vekic, 29, cruised to her first break point in the eighth game but Eala scored the next two points to secure a pivotal 5-3 lead and move a game away from winning it altogether. 

Eala, though, committed back-to-back errors, including a double fault, to allow Vekic to take the next game with Eala still holding a 5-4 cushion.

But showing a familiar resilience, the Filipina tennis sensation bounced back immediately and unleashed a powerful forehand that left Vekic scrambling and sealed a thrilling comeback victory.

"She's such an experienced player and super talented and definitely decorated so I really had a tough time today. But I'm most happy about being able to compete and show up at a level like this," Eala said.

On Monday, Eala and partner Iva Jovic also pulled off a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Venus Williams and Elina Svitolina in the Round of 16 of the women's doubles tournament.

READ MORE | Alex Eala, Iva Jovic stun Venus Williams, Elina Svitolina in ASB Classic doubles opener

—JMB, GMA Integrated News