Eala’s Relentless Fight Back in Abu Dhabi

Under the warm glow of Stadium Court on February 4, 2026, Alexandra Eala stared down a mounting deficit in the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open. The 20-year-old Filipino had dropped the first set 2–6 to Aliaksandra Sasnovich, her opponent’s serves landing heavy and unreturnable. But as the match stretched toward three hours, Eala’s resolve sharpened, leading to a 2–6, 6–4, 7–6(5) escape that silenced doubts and electrified the pro-Filipino crowd.

Sasnovich dominated early, winning all her first-serve points and dropping just six behind her delivery in the opener, without facing a break point. Eala absorbed the pressure, then flipped the script in the second set by generating 11 break points amid 19 unforced errors from the 31-year-old Belarusian. Breaking in the final game after 66 minutes sent the contest to a decider, where the hard-court bounce began favoring Eala’s deeper groundstrokes.

Crowd surges with Eala’s defiance

Sasnovich raced to 4–0 in the third set in just 17 minutes, breaking twice with flat backhands that pinned Eala behind the baseline. The crowd’s chants grew louder, a rhythmic wave that seemed to steady Eala as she faced a break point for 5–0. She held with a heavy topspin forehand down-the-line, then broke back, refusing to let the match slip away despite the season’s accumulating fatigue from tough draws.

At 5–2 down, Sasnovich earned match point, her inside-out forehand forcing Eala into a scrambling defensive lob. Eala saved it with a precise inside-in backhand that clipped the line, drawing roars that echoed through the stadium. This mental pivot, fueled by the supporters’ energy, turned individual pressure into shared momentum, much like Eala’s breakthrough runs in recent WTA events.

Sasnovich served for the win at 5–4, but Eala’s aggressive returns disrupted the rhythm, leading to a break and a 6–5 lead. In the tiebreak, trailing 4–5, Eala unleashed a crosscourt winner followed by two unreturned serves in her one–two pattern. She clinched the final three points, leaving Sasnovich stunned and the court buzzing with disbelief.

Eala won despite 10 fewer total points, 111 to Sasnovich’s 121, and trailing in key stats like first-serve efficiency.

Hard fought battle 👏

Alex Eala advances to the quarterfinals after an incredible comeback in a three-set thriller against Sasnovich!#MubadalaAbuDhabiOpen pic.twitter.com/TOr9VgtlaS

— wta (@WTA) February 4, 2026

Tactics evolve amid the tension

Throughout, Eala’s adjustments stood out on the fast hard courts, where she mixed slice backhands to neutralize Sasnovich’s flat power on second serves. Early passivity gave way to proactive net approaches, extending rallies and exposing the Belarusian’s discomfort with the quicker bounce. This tactical growth, honed through a year of grinding qualifiers and main draws, allowed Eala to outmaneuver her opponent despite the early barrage of nine straight points won by Sasnovich.

The victory marks Eala’s fifth WTA quarterfinal, a crucial step in her top-100 push at this 500-level event. Check the Abu Dhabi: Scores, Draws, and Order of play for the tournament’s full pulse. As the crowd’s energy lingered, Eala reflected on her inner drive.

Quarterfinals bring fresh challenges

Now Eala faces No. 2 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the quarterfinals, their first meeting, after the Russian’s 6–3, 6–0 rout of Dayana Yastremska. Alexandrova’s return game dismantled the Ukrainian, converting six of nine break points and taking over 64% of first-serve points with penetrating groundstrokes. This power could test Eala’s resilience, but her topspin variety might extend points and force errors on the bouncy surface.

With defending champion Belinda Bencic out due to illness, Alexandrova is assured a top-10 return, heightening the stakes for a deeper run. Eala enters with momentum from her escape, blending mental fortitude with tactical savvy to chase a semifinal spot. Elsewhere, Sonay Kartal advanced past lucky loser Renata Zarazua 6–0, 6–3 in 57 minutes, holding all serves without a break point faced and dropping just seven points on 32 of 39 first serves.

Kartal’s flat returns exposed Zarazua’s struggles, securing the Briton’s fourth career quarterfinal. She’ll meet Sara Bejlek, the 20-year-old Czech who upset No. 7 Jelena Ostapenko 6–4, 6–4, breaking in the opener’s last game and building a 3–1 second-set lead with crosscourt winners. Bejlek’s third top-30 victory highlights the draw’s underdog fire, mirroring Eala’s path through veteran challenges.

As the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open unfolds, Eala carries this comeback’s fire forward, her ability to save match point and rally from 4–0 a blueprint for navigating the tour’s demands. The hard courts still hum with possibility, setting up clashes where grit meets power in the desert heat.