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Iga Swiatek Battles Past Alexandra Eala in Thrilling Match

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Defending champion Iga Swiatek overcomes a tough test against Alexandra Eala, advancing to the third round of the Madrid Open. Read the match highlights.



Defending Madrid Open champion Iga Swiatek narrowly avoided an upset, coming back to beat rising star Alexandra Eala 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 and advance to the third round. Eala, just 19 and ranked 72nd, had previously shocked Swiatek at the Miami Open, winning in straight sets. However, the world number two found her footing after a slow start.


Swiatek's Post-Match Thoughts

Swiatek credited her patience for helping her turn the match around, telling Spanish broadcaster TVE, “It wasn't easy to get into the rhythm and the right timing and I'm happy that I was just patient.” She also expressed her love for playing in Madrid, adding, “I always love playing here, for sure I'm proud of my performances in the last two years.”


Eala's Strong Start

Alexandra Eala got off to a flying start, breaking Iga Swiatek in the first game and holding serve in the next two games despite facing break points. She continued to impress, saving another break point in the sixth game before breaking Swiatek again to take a 5-2 lead. Eala's resilience was evident as she won both of her break opportunities, while Swiatek struggled to convert hers.


Swiatek's Fightback

Eala repeated her early-break success in the second set, but this time Swiatek responded immediately. When Eala broke again for a 3-2 lead, Swiatek matched her, leveling the match. As the second set progressed, Swiatek began to find her rhythm, raising her level and setting up a potential deciding set showdown.


Swiatek's Decisive Third Set

Iga Swiatek broke through in the 10th game of the second set to force a decider, then dominated the third set with breaks in the second and sixth games. Despite Alexandra Eala's resilience, Swiatek's adjustments paid off, and she ultimately secured the win.


Swiatek's Insights and Next Match

Swiatek reflected on her approach, saying, “I felt like I was making too many errors from everything... For sure I wanted to keep my margins and play a little bit more safe, to just play more balls in because I was making some unforced errors that weren't really necessary.” After a tense moment where Eala saved a match point, Swiatek closed out the match. She'll next face Czech player Linda Noskova in the third round.


Other Match Highlights

Anastasija Sevastova defeated Jelena Ostapenko 7-6(2), 6-2, avenging no previous mentioned loss but noting Ostapenko's recent win over Swiatek in Stuttgart. Meanwhile, Madison Keys, seeded fifth, advanced to the third round with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Lucia Bronzetti and will face Anna Kalinskaya.




Gauff's Nail-Biter

Coco Gauff, the fourth seed, survived a dramatic match against Dayana Yastremska, coming from 0-6, 5-4 down to win 0-6, 6-2, 7-5. Despite spurning three match points and facing set point on serve, Gauff broke through to win on her serve at 6-5 after multiple attempts. She'll next face fellow American Ann Li in the third round.




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