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Alex Eala has a chance to cause a major upset at India Wells as she takes on Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova.
There is 18 ranks between the pair who face off for the first time in their professional careers.
Eala will head into the match against Noskova with confidence after her previous game against world no 4 Coco Gauff which saw the 20-year-old lead 6-2, 6-0, before the American was forced to retire due to injury.
Eala’s first round win
The Filipina beat Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska in the opening round of the competition after a thrilling match which was decided in the third set.
The victory, which lasted two hours and 43 minutes, marked Eala’s successful main draw debut at the prestigious WTA 1000 event in California.
Eala, the tournament’s 32nd seed, was forced to withstand relentless power hitting and intense rallies from world No. 52 Dayana Yastremska. After the pair shared the opening two sets, the match was decided in a tense final set that became a battle of composure.
With the score tied at 5–5 in the decider, Eala regained control on serve, delivering a crucial ace at 40-all to move ahead 6–5.
Momentum shifted repeatedly during the tense closing games, but Eala stayed composed, breaking Yastremska’s serve to seal the win and avoid a potentially dangerous tiebreak.
Eala dominates Gauff who retires
In the Round of 32 Eala went on to get her revenge against one of the brightest young stars on the WTA Tour in Gauff.
The first three service games were quickly exchanged through breaks, but Eala eventually settled into a rhythm during a grueling fourth game on Gauff’s serve. The 20-year-old showcased a sharp burst of precision from the baseline to claim her second break of the set, a decisive moment that swung momentum clearly in her favor.
From that point, Eala controlled the match, breaking Gauff in all four of the American’s service games during the opening set. She strung together five consecutive games to take the set, while the multiple Grand Slam winner struggled to find her rhythm and committed seven double faults.
As the match continued, physical issues began to hamper Gauff, with visible discomfort in her left arm. After Eala secured an early break in the second set to lead 2–0, the American ultimately retired from the match.
Noskova up next
Eala will now face another huge challenge in Noskova who has had a dominant start to her tournament.
The 21-year-old picked up a commanding straight-sets win over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in an opening round which saw the Czech ease past her Spanish opponent.
Noskova then won a tightly fought second round game against Sorana Cirstea to book her date with Eala in the Round of 16.
Noskova has risen rapidly through the ranks to become one of the sport’s most exciting young talents. She made her first WTA final as a qualifier in 2023 and entered the top 100 that year, becoming one of the youngest players in the rankings.
Noskova claimed her first WTA Tour title at the 2024 Monterrey Open and reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the 2024 Australian Open, highlighted by a win over then‑No. 1 Iga Świątek.
