Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala bid farewell after being defeated by Ukrainian qualifier Oleksandra Oliynykova, 6-3, 5-7, 3-6, in the first round of the Internationaux de Strasbourg on Monday evening, May 18, 2026 (Philippine time), in France.
First Set Victory
In the first set, Eala quickly adjusted to Oliynykova's playing style and secured the win.
Second Set Turnaround
However, the match's momentum shifted in the second set when Oliynykova capitalized on Eala's errors to build a 4-0 lead. Eala fought back and narrowed the gap to 4-3. The two players then exchanged blows before Oliynykova eventually took the set, 7-5.
Deciding Set
Eala, who recently rose to world No. 38 in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings, threatened Oliynykova early in the final set, leveling at 2-2 after eight deuces. However, world No. 66 Oliynykova regained control of the rallies and this time, she pushed through to victory, 6-3.
