Filipina tennis sensation Alexandra “Alex” Eala and her German partner Eva Lys bowed out of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships on Thursday, falling in the first round of the women’s doubles to the Brazilian-American duo of Ingrid Martins and Quinn Gleason.
Martins and Gleason proved too strong, dispatching Eala and Lys in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, on Court 4. The Filipino-German pair struggled to find rhythm early, trailing 2-4 in the opening set. They rallied to close the gap to 5-4, but unforced errors in the tenth game handed the set to their opponents.
In the second set, Eala and Lys briefly showed promise by taking the first game. However, Gleason and Martins quickly adjusted, winning five consecutive games to surge ahead 5-1. Eala and Lys held serve to stay alive, but their opponents closed out the match with a love hold, sealing the win in just over an hour.
The loss marks the end of Eala’s maiden Wimbledon campaign, which began with a high-profile singles match on Centre Court against defending champion Barbora Krejčíková. Despite the daunting draw, Eala stunned the crowd by taking the first set 6-3 before Krejčíková mounted a comeback to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Eala’s appearance at Wimbledon was historic—she became the first Filipino player to compete in the tournament’s main draw, a milestone that drew praise from fans and tennis legends alike. Her Centre Court debut was especially poignant, as she described it as a childhood dream come true.
The 20-year-old Rafa Nadal Academy graduate entered Wimbledon riding momentum from a runner-up finish at the Eastbourne Open, where she reached her first WTA final on grass. Her performance there catapulted her to a career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 56, making her the highest-ranked Filipino tennis player in history.
Though her Wimbledon run ended earlier than hoped, Eala’s poise and grit on one of tennis’s grandest stages signal a bright future. She now turns her focus to the upcoming hardcourt season, carrying valuable experience and national pride into her next tournaments.
