Under an overcast sky in Eastbourne, with flags snapping in the stiff seaside breeze and tension thick enough to cut with a knife, Alex Eala stood one point away from the biggest win of her young tennis career.
Half a world away, an entire nation was holding its breath, flinching with every shot that carved across the English grass court.
Eala had her chances—more than thrice. She pushed Australia’s Maya Joint to the very edge. But Joint, already a WTA titleholder at just 19, didn’t blink. She shook off double faults, rising pressure, and an inspired opponent, then clawed her way back with grit and resolve.
(Joint won her first title in the clay court of Rabat last month. In Eastbourne, Joint will also compete in the doubles final.)
In a final that lasted nearly two-and-a-half grueling hours, Eala came heartbreakingly close—only to fall, 6–4, 1–6, 7–6 (12–10).
She started tentatively, perhaps battling not just the swirling wind but the weight of the moment—her first singles final at this level. But she never backed down.
After losing the first set, something clicked. She broke Joint three times in the second, fired an ace, and played with the poise of a seasoned pro. The fire that fueled her Miami Open run in March was back.
The third set saw Eala surge ahead again. For a moment, it felt like destiny. But Joint wouldn’t go quietly. She forced a tiebreaker, where Eala built momentum—and then watched it slip. At 10-all, Eala pulled a forehand just wide. Joint pounced. One last rally, and it was over.
Eala let her racket fall, buried her face in a towel, and wept—almost inconsolable. She had battled with everything she had, poured heart and soul into every point, and still came up just short.
But this wasn’t a defeat. Not really. It was a reminder that Alex Eala doesn’t just belong—she’s coming. Wimbledon awaits.
