For the third time in her career, Elise Mertens proved to be a hurdle Alex Eala could not clear.
The Belgian veteran once again got the better of the Filipina rising star, defeating Eala 6-3, 6-3 in the opening round of the Bad Homburg Open and denying her one final singles boost before Wimbledon.
The result ended Eala’s latest grass-court campaign but also offered a reminder of the challenge that comes with sustaining momentum on one of tennis’ most demanding stretches of the season.
Coming into Bad Homburg, Eala was riding high from a productive run through the European grass-court swing. The world No. 30 had recently captured a title in Birmingham and added another headline-grabbing victory by upsetting Elena Rybakina in Berlin.
But with less than two days separating her Berlin campaign and her Bad Homburg opener, the physical and mental demands of the tour appeared to catch up.
The match initially seemed headed in Eala’s favor.
She started aggressively and quickly built a 3-1 lead, putting pressure on Mertens early. Instead of allowing the match to slip away, however, the Belgian responded with the composure that has kept her among the world’s top players for years.
Mertens reeled off five consecutive games to steal the opening set, flipping the momentum completely.
Once she found her rhythm, the world No. 26 rarely allowed Eala back into the contest.
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Alex Eala shows off the speed
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— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 22, 2026
The Filipina attempted to mount a response in the second set and briefly threatened to narrow the gap after falling behind 4-2. But Mertens remained steady from the baseline and closed out another straight-sets victory over Eala, extending her perfect record against the Filipina to 3-0.
The win continued a trend that began in Tunisia in 2023 and carried into Madrid earlier this season, where Mertens also prevailed in straight sets.
While the singles result was disappointing, Eala’s week in Germany is not yet over.
She remains in the doubles draw alongside tennis legend Venus Williams, giving her another opportunity to gain valuable grass-court experience before heading to Wimbledon.
The defeat also does little to diminish what has already been a breakthrough grass season for the 21-year-old. Her rise into the world’s top 30 and her historic Wimbledon seeding remain among the biggest milestones of her career.
With the All England Club now just days away, Eala leaves Bad Homburg with one final lesson from the grass-court circuit—and one more chance to sharpen her game before tennis’ most prestigious tournament begins.
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