An ankle injury in the middle of her match was not enough to stop Alexandra Eala from advancing in Canada. The 21-year-old Filipino tennis standout fought through pain and pressure to defeat American Caty McNally 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 on Friday night Toronto time — or Saturday morning back in the Philippines — booking her place in the Round of 16 at the WTA 1000 National Bank Open.
A Three-Set Battle With a Dangerous Twist
The match was far from smooth sailing for Eala right from the opening games. According to ESPN, the early exchanges were scrappy, with the first three games all going against the server before McNally managed to stabilize and pull ahead at 3-1. Eala, however, refused to be rattled, steadily wresting control of the set to take it 6-3.
The second set brought a more serious complication: Eala twisted her ankle mid-match, a moment that briefly cast doubt over whether she would be able to continue. McNally — who had already announced herself in the tournament by stunning Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the previous round — took advantage of the disruption, as Tennis Majors reported. The American levelled the contest by claiming the second set 7-5, setting up a decisive third.
Despite the physical setback, Eala regrouped. She held her composure throughout the third set and closed it out 6-4, completing the comeback victory. Speaking to reporters afterward, Eala said she was okay and acknowledged it had been a tough match to get through, ESPN reported.
Seven Wins, Zero Losses in North America
The victory kept Eala’s record on the North American hard-court swing at a perfect 7-0, according to ESPN. That remarkable run began earlier this month at the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, where Eala made Philippine tennis history by becoming the first Filipina ever to win a WTA singles title — a milestone reported by Tennis Majors.
The Toronto win marked Eala’s third straight victory over an American opponent during this stretch. After defeating Jessica Pegula in the Washington final, she eliminated Alycia Parks in the second round in Toronto before turning back McNally in the third round. ESPN noted all three results as part of her dominant North American campaign.
The Washington title also delivered a tangible reward in the world rankings. The Philippine News Agency reported that Eala’s run in the United States lifted her to a career-best position of No. 20 on the WTA singles tour — a milestone that puts her firmly among the upper tier of professional women’s tennis.
Bencic Awaits in the Next Round
Eala’s next opponent will be Swiss veteran Belinda Bencic, who is seeded No. 12 at the National Bank Open. According to Tennis Majors, Bencic — a former champion at this very tournament, having won the title back in 2015 — advanced to the Round of 16 after outlasting American Taylor Townsend in a gruelling three-hour contest that ended 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4.
Bencic’s familiarity with Canadian hard courts, combined with her experience as a past champion of the event, makes her one of the more formidable opponents remaining in Eala’s draw. The Swiss player’s ability to grind through a three-set, three-hour battle against Townsend also signals that she is in strong form heading into the matchup.
For Eala, the challenge is clear: getting past Bencic would not only secure a quarterfinal berth but would also further validate her status as one of the sport’s most exciting young players at the moment.
Eala Moved by Filipino Support in Toronto
After the McNally match, Eala took a moment to address the crowd gathered at the venue. ESPN reported that she thanked McNally for the competitive contest and described the past two weeks in Washington and Toronto as an incredible experience. She also spoke directly to the largely Filipino crowd in attendance, saying that playing in front of them made every moment more emotional.
The scene underscored how much Eala’s success has resonated not only in professional tennis circles but also among Filipino communities overseas, who have followed her North American campaign with great enthusiasm.
By the Numbers
- 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 — Final scoreline of Eala’s victory over McNally
- 7-0 — Eala’s perfect record during the 2026 North American hard-court swing
- 21 — Eala’s current age
- No. 20 — Eala’s career-best WTA singles world ranking, achieved after her Washington title
- No. 12 — Belinda Bencic’s seeding at the National Bank Open in Toronto
- 2015 — The year Bencic previously won the National Bank Open in Canada
- 3 hours — Length of Bencic’s third-round match against Taylor Townsend
Why This Matters
Eala’s continued advance in Toronto is an extension of a North American campaign that has already rewritten Philippine tennis history, with her WTA singles title in Washington marking the first of its kind for a Filipina. Reaching a career-best ranking of No. 20 in the world demonstrates that her success is not a single-tournament anomaly but reflects genuine, sustained competitiveness at the highest level of professional tennis. A victory over former National Bank Open champion Belinda Bencic in the Round of 16 would represent yet another landmark result in what is already a breakthrough season.
Source: ESPN, Tennis Majors, Philippine News Agency
