FILIPINA tennis sensation Alex Eala makes her debut at the Italian Open on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, with a first-round battle against world No. 27 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine at Foro Italico in Rome.
For the first time, Eala made a direct entry into the main draw of a WTA 1000 after vaulting to No. 70 in the world rankings.
This will be the first face-off between the 19-year-old lefty Eala and the 22-year-old Kostyuk, a right-handed who once ranked 16th in
the world.
Eala is coming off a second-round loss to Iga Swiatek at the Madrid Open, where Kostyuk also lost to eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals.
The winner between Eala and Kostyuk will earn a second-round duel with 14th seed and former semifinalist Daria Kasatkina of Australia.
Known as one of the premier stops on the WTA Tour, the Italian Open is a critical stepping stone for players preparing for the French Open.
For Eala, it offers a golden opportunity to fine-tune her clay-court skills against the best in the world, just weeks before making her much-anticipated Grand Slam main draw debut at Roland-Garros.
