Alex Eala of the Philippines reacts against Clara Tauson of Denmark during their Women’s Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 24, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala gets another shot at her first Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) championship after barging into her second final this year.
Eala dominated American netter Kayla Day, 6-2, 6-3, to reach the championship round of the Guadalajara Open early Saturday (Philippine time) in Mexico.
READ: Alex Eala wins twice in a day to reach Guadalajara Open semis
The 20-year-old Filipino tennis sensation suffered a heartbreaking runner-up finish in the Lexus Eastbourne Open, falling to Maya Joint in the final last June.
Eala takes on world No. 134 Panna Udvardy for the crown early Sunday.
The last time they played against each other was when the 26-year-old Udvardy eliminated Eala in the Oieras Ladies Open round of 16, 7-6(4), 6-4, last April in Portugal.
Eala, armed with the momentum of her first US Open win, bucked a 0-2 start in the semifinal, winning six straight games to take the opening set.
The Rafa Nadal Academy graduate broke a 2-2 tie in the second, winning three consecutive games for a 5-2 lead before Day stopped her momentum with a much-needed Game 8 win.
READ: Alex Eala tops Arianna Hartono anew to start Guadalajara Open
The world No. 70 Eala clinched her second WTA final with a forehand winner.
Eala won two matches in one day to advance to the semis.
She completed her comeback against Varvara Lepchenko, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-3, in their rain-delayed Round-of-16 match.
Eala, then, ousted Italy’s Nicole Fossa Huergo, 7-6 (2), 6-2, in the quarterfinal.
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