On Wednesday, Filipina star Alexandra Eala led a strong start to her campaign in the ongoing Madrid Open 2026. She defeated Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to qualify for the second round for the third-straight year. She secured her win in straight sets of 6-3, 6-3.
World No. 44 who plays with her left hand finished the game in an hour and 31 minutes to seal the win. Pavlyuchenkova is a 2021 semifinalist in Spain. The 34-year-old former French Open runner-up is currently ranked world No. 116 and is coming off without any win from the six games played so far in the tour-level main draw this season.
Meanwhile, Philippines Eala saved all four break points and broke Pavlyuchenkova twice in the opening set. The 20-year-old did not secure the advantage going into the second set but she claimed eight straight points to regain her lead and defeat the Russian player. With the win she will next face 19th seed Elise Mertens. Pavlyuchenkova, committed 40 unforced errors in her first meeting with Eala.
Eala, who has been currently training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca since the past eight years expressed her excitement on the win. “I feel really great. I love Madrid, it’s an amazing tournament. Every time I come here, I feel very comfortable, I feel like I’m at home,” she said.
“Every match at this level is a battle, all of us players we fight until the end and she’s been on the tour for many years. So I’m really happy with this win. She’s a great player and I’m really happy to be in the next round,” Eala added.
Women’s Singles First Round Selected Results
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro bt. Beatriz Haddad Maia (6-1, 6-1)
Alexandra Eala bt. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (6-3, 6-3)
Kaitlin Quevedo bt. Venus Williams (6-2, 6-4)
Sofia Kenin bt. Ashlyn Krueger [7-6(2), 6-4]
Katie Boulter bt. Taylor Townsend (6-4, 6-2)
Karolína Plíšková bt. Sinja Kraus (2-6, 6-1, 6-4)
Daria Snigur bt. Daria Kasatkina [6-3, 3-6, 7-6(13)]
Tyra Grant bt. Elsa Jacquemot (6-1, 6-2)
Caty McNally bt. Katie Volynets (6-1, 6-2)
Léolia Jeanjeanb bt. Oksana Selekhmeteva (6-4, 6-1)
