Berlin
Eala stuns Rybakina in Berlin blitz
Wild card Alexandra Eala handed world No. 2 Elena Rybakina a 7-5, 6-4 upset loss on Thursday, sending the Kazakh out and booking the last of the quarter-final spots at the WTA Berlin event.
The Filipina sensation standing 35th beat the 2022 Wimbledon champion in 93 minutes, fending off 13 aces from the more experienced player/
The underdog won six of seven games while trailing 4-1 in the opening set to get straight into the fight.
Eala, winner of a grass Challenger title in the UK this month, earned her first match point while leading a break and 5-3, with Rybakina sending down a double-fault.
But the seed averted disaster with a winner to the corner only to find herself trailing again in the following game.
This time, Eala came good on her second winning chance as Rybakina delivered a return wide.
Eala will face a Friday quarter-final against veteran Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.