DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Filipina tennis sensation Alexandra 'Alex' Eala is through to the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, but what was astonishing was her show of humility and compassion after her opponent retired due to injury.

Eala displayed remarkable sportsmanship towards her rival Hailey Baptiste of the United States, who was forced to discontinue because of abdominal pain and giving the 20-year-old Quezon City lass the win.

The 5,000 crowd that gathered at the posh Aviation Club Tennis Centre in Dubai were simply touched with nostalgia as Eala expressed empathy and kindness towards her foe, offering the American words of comfort.
A blogger remarked: "This is truly commendable and inspiring. You're a shining example of Filipino values, Alex, and your humility and concern for others have earned you even more admiration. As a proud Pinoy, we celebrate your character and achievement, Alex,"

Eala's victory was a repeat of her thrilling 6-7, 7-6, 6-1 victory over the 39th-ranked American in last year's Lexus Eastbourne Open qualifiers.

Eala showed early control from the baseline, navigating a tight opening stretch where both players held serve through the first four games. The set soon turned into a battle of returns, with three consecutive breaks on each side testing their serve patterns and second-ball responses.

The decisive moment came at the third break, which belonged to Eala to put the count at 4-3. She then capitalized to hold serve in the eighth game to get a 5-3 advantage before calmly serving out the set, leaning on depth and placement to dictate rallies.

The second set began with another extended service game, Baptiste digging in to hold despite sustained pressure. But after just one more game, the American signaled discomfort in her abdomen and was forced to retire, handing Eala passage into the Round of 32.

Statistically, Eala's efficiency made the difference. In the matchup, the country's pride won 70 percent of her service points and landed 77 percent of her first serves, consistently putting herself in offensive positions. Baptiste, meanwhile, struggled to protect her delivery, committing three double faults that swung momentum during the critical stages of the opening set.

Up next for Eala is a showdown against sixth seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy, who received a bye into the second round.

"I'm super happy to be in the next round. These tournaments are such great experiences for me, especially playing in front of the best crowd ever. I'm really doing my best to try and enjoy every moment I have on the court," she enthused on the sidelines after her unexpected triumph over Baptiste.
"Obviously, no one likes advancing in this way," said Eala. "Being on tour, I'm starting to discover at this level how difficult it is to maintain your health physically. I hope Hailey is okay and will bounce back soon," she described her win.

Next up now for the Filipina is a stern test against 6th seed Jasmine Paolini, a matchup that will demand sustained aggression and sharper execution as Eala looks to build on her breakthrough win in Dubai.

Paolini has been ranked world's no. 4 in singles by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the joint-highest-ranked Italian woman in singles (alongside Francesca Schiavone), and No. 3 in doubles. She is a major champion in doubles at the 2025 French Open, partnering with fellow Italian Sara Errani. Representing her country in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Paolini won gold medal in doubles at the 2024 Paris Olympics, also with Errani.

Paolini has won three WTA Tour-level singles titles and ten in doubles, including two singles and five doubles WTA 1000 titles. She is also a three-time major finalist, contesting the singles and doubles finals of the 2024 French Open and the singles final of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. She led Italy to the 2024 and 2025 Billie Jean King Cup titles, winning the Heart Award.