Overview
- Elise Mertens beat Eala 6-2, 6-1 in the Madrid Open second round on Friday, ending the Filipina’s singles run in 77 minutes.
- Eala questioned being moved to small Court 5 after opening on a show court and protested a late slow‑play warning issued with five seconds left on the shot clock.
- She remains in the doubles draw with Zeynep Sonmez in the round of 16 against second seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend.
- Eala began the event ranked No. 44, matched last year’s second‑round finish for a third straight season, and adds $37,221 to her 2026 and career earnings.
- Next on her schedule is the Catalonia Open in La Bisbal as the sixth seed at the lower‑tier WTA 125, followed by the Italian Open in Rome and a Parma Challenger before Roland Garros.