Filipino tennis star Alexandra Eala advanced to the Round of 16 of the WTA 1000 National Bank Open in Toronto on Friday night (Saturday morning, Philippine time), defeating American Caty McNally 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in a three-set contest that included a mid-match ankle scare for the 21-year-old.
Three Sets and a Twisted Ankle
The opening exchanges were scrappy, with the first three games all going against serve before McNally consolidated at 3-1, according to ESPN. Eala wrestled control back to claim the first set 6-3, before suffering an ankle sprain during the second set that briefly threatened to derail her campaign.
McNally, who had stunned Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the previous round, capitalised on the disruption to level the match by taking the second set 7-5, according to Tennis Majors. Eala held her nerve in the deciding third set, closing it out 6-4 to seal the win.
Asked afterward about the ankle injury, Eala said she was okay and felt she had survived a tough match, ESPN reported.
Seventh Straight Win in the North American Swing
The victory kept Eala unbeaten in the North American hard-court swing at 7-0, according to ESPN. That run began with her landmark title at the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, where she became the first Filipina to win a WTA singles crown, Tennis Majors reported.
The Toronto win was also Eala's third consecutive victory over an American opponent. She defeated Jessica Pegula in the Washington final, then eliminated Alycia Parks in the second round in Toronto before dismissing McNally, ESPN noted.
Her Washington title run lifted her to a career-best world ranking of No. 20 on the WTA singles tour, the Philippine News Agency reported.
Bencic Stands Between Eala and the Quarterfinals
Eala will next face Swiss veteran Belinda Bencic, the No. 12 seed and 2015 National Bank Open champion in Canada, according to Tennis Majors. Bencic advanced after outlasting American Taylor Townsend 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4 in a three-hour battle.
Bencic's experience on Canadian hard courts — including her title run there more than a decade ago — makes the Round of 16 matchup one of the more demanding tests remaining in Eala's tournament draw.
Eala Thanks Filipino Crowd in Toronto
Speaking to the crowd after the match, Eala thanked McNally for a great contest and said the past two weeks in Washington and Toronto had been incredible, ESPN reported. She told the largely Filipino-supported gallery that playing in front of them made everything more emotional.
By the Numbers
- 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 — Final score of Eala's win over McNally
- 7-0 — Eala's unbeaten record in the 2026 North American hard-court swing
- 21 — Eala's age
- No. 20 — Eala's career-best WTA singles ranking, reached after her Washington title
- No. 12 — Bencic's seeding at the National Bank Open
- 2015 — Year Bencic previously won the National Bank Open in Canada
- 3 hours — Duration of Bencic's match against Townsend
Why This Matters
Eala's run in Toronto extends a historic North American campaign that already produced the first WTA singles title ever won by a Filipina, cementing her standing as one of the most significant breakthroughs in Philippine tennis history. Her rise to a career-best No. 20 in the world rankings signals sustained competitiveness at the top tier of professional tennis. A victory over former champion Bencic in the Round of 16 would push her further into the upper echelons of the WTA tour.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of WTA/ESPN