MANILA – Alexandra Eala showed no mercy in Mexico. The Filipina tennis star demolished the Netherlands’ Arianne Hartono, 6-2, 6-2, to storm into the Round of 16 of the Guadalajara 125 Open and extend her mastery over the Dutch veteran.
The 19-year-old Eala, seeded No. 2 in the tournament, needed just one hour and nine minutes to wrap up her fourth straight victory against Hartono, underscoring her growing reputation as one of the WTA’s rising forces.
The Rafa Nadal Academy graduate wasted little time asserting control, racing to a 3-1 lead in the opening set before sweeping the final three games to slam the door. In the second, she broke a 2-all deadlock and never looked back, piling on four consecutive games to seal the rout.
Eala, currently ranked world No. 75, had also outclassed Hartono earlier this year in Bengaluru, 6-2, 6-1.
Her next test looms against seasoned American Varvara Lepchenko, a 39-year-old mainstay once ranked as high as No. 19 in the world.
The win keeps Eala’s momentum surging after her historic feat at the 2025 US Open, where she became the first Filipino to win a singles match in a Grand Slam main draw. She briefly reached a career-high No. 56 before an injury pause forced her to regroup earlier this season.
Hartono, meanwhile, continues her slide. The 29-year-old Dutch player, once ranked No. 135, has dropped to No. 187 with a 17–22 record this year. Against Eala’s relentless baseline attack and biting returns, she had no answers.
From Guadalajara, the Filipina sensation heads to Brazil for the Sao Paulo Open scheduled September 8 to 14./PN
