Barbora Krejcikova of Czech Republic, proper, greets Alexandra Eala of the Philippines on the internet after profitable their first spherical ladies’s singles match on the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Picture/Kin Cheung)
MANILA, Philippines — Wimbledon defending champion Barbora Krejcikova tipped her hat to Alex Eala, believing she’s one of many subsequent era stars in tennis.
Krejcikova wanted to beat a first-set meltdown earlier than taking down the gritty Eala, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 win to advance to the second spherical on Tuesday.
READ: Alex Eala falls to Barbora Krejcikova in Wimbledon debut
The World No.16 participant from the Czech Republic was all reward for the Filipino tennis sensation after a hard-fought first-round duel.
“I imply, I wish to begin with giving the credit score to Alex. I imply, what the hell she performed within the first set. She was smashing the ball and he or she was cleansing the strains and all that, so, wow,” stated Krejcikova after the win.
Eala erased a 1-2 deficit within the opening set earlier than Krejcikova unleashed the center of a champion to dominate the final two units.
Eala stays looking for her first ladies’s Grand Slam singles foremost draw win with one other first-round exit after her French Open debut final Could.
Alexandra Eala of the Philippines returns to Barbora Krejcikova of Czech Republic throughout their first spherical ladies’s singles match on the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Picture/Kin Cheung)
However Krejcikova sees a vivid future for the 20-year-old.
“Wow, it’s a subsequent era coming. She’s going to come back up and he or she’s going to be actually good in a few years. So, to begin with, large credit score, large credit score to her,” she stated.
World No. 56 Eala was simply three days faraway from her runner-up end within the Eastbourne Open, the place she absorbed a three-set loss to Maya Joint of Australia in a grueling ultimate.
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Krejcikova withdrew from the WTA 250 match as a consequence of a thigh situation. She is coming back from a shoulder harm after lacking the primary 5 months of the season.
Eala competes within the Wimbledon doubles with German Eva Lys, dealing with Olga Danilovic and Anastasia Potapova within the first spherical on Wednesday.
