Swiatek Survives Eala Challenge to Advance at 2025 Madrid Open
Iga Swiatek battled past rising star Alexandra Eala in the second round of the Madrid Open, recovering from a slow start and 57 unforced errors to secure a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 win. The reigning champion now faces Linda Noskova in the round of 16.
Swiatek Survives Eala Challenge to Advance at 2025 Madrid Open
Iga Swiatek avoided a second straight upset against Filipina teenager Alexandra Eala by mounting a spirited comeback to win their second-round clash at the 2025 Madrid Open.
The world number two, who suffered a surprise loss to Eala in Miami just last month, looked on shaky ground early but eventually prevailed 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 on the Spanish clay.
A sluggish start and a flurry of early errors seemed to support pre-match speculation that Swiatek could struggle again against her 19-year-old opponent. Eala, once ranked outside the top 100, had proven her potential by defeating Swiatek on hard courts and looked poised for a repeat.
Swiatek admitted the hype around younger players can be distracting, but she remains focused on her own game.
"I understand that there's hype about these young players, but you have got to be focused on yourself," Swiatek said. "Honestly, I didn't realise it, I had better things to think about."
After receiving a first-round bye and exiting the Stuttgart quarter-finals last week, Swiatek came out rusty. Her 25 unforced errors in the first set and erratic baseline shots told the story of a reigning Madrid champion out of rhythm.
Things went from bad to worse early in the second set when she was broken again. With valuable ranking points at stake and the clay-court season ramping up, the pressure was on.
But the five-time Grand Slam champion raised her level when it mattered most. She broke back and began to find her range, using heavier, more accurate groundstrokes to push Eala onto the defensive. From 4-4 in the second set, Swiatek won five straight games to swing the match in her favor.
Although she missed a chance to serve out the match initially, she broke again to seal a hard-fought victory. In total, Swiatek committed 57 unforced errors, while Eala managed to win just 80 points across the three sets.
Swiatek noted that Madrid's high altitude added to the difficulty.
"The balls were flying a little bit out of control from my racquet," she said. "I got the [string] tension a little bit higher in the second set and then it was better. When you're not starting well it sometimes takes a little bit more time to find your game, but then I did, so I'm glad."
Swiatek will next face 31st seed Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic in the round of 16, as she continues her campaign for a fifth French Open title next month.
Elsewhere in the draw, Coco Gauff recovered from a disastrous opening set to beat Dayana Yastremska 0-6, 6-2, 7-5. The American fourth seed will face compatriot Ann Li in the third round.
Australian Open champion Madison Keys advanced by defeating Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-3, setting up a last-32 encounter with Anna Kalinskaya.
In a surprise result, Stuttgart champion Jelena Ostapenko fell 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 to fellow Latvian Anastasija Sevastova, who continues her comeback following maternity leave and a serious knee injury.