Daven Tamayo

Seeded for the first time, Alex Eala opens Wimbledon campaign vs Mexico’s Zarazua

Article (news)

Dyan Castillejo

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782473568452178211935077620260129-w125-ph-quarterfinals-eala-vs-osorio-JC-35.webp" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Filipina tennis player Alex Eala in the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open quarterfinals at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila on January 29, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA — It is Alex Eala versus Renata Zarazua of Mexico in first round of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships.Eala enters the most anticipated chapter on grass this week, stepping in the All England Club as a seeded player for the first time.The 21-year-old Filipino ace is seeded 29th at Wimbledon this year, following an impressive grass-court season that included a title at the Birmingham Open and a run to the semifinals of the Berlin Tennis Open, where she defeated back-to-back top-10 opponents Elena Rybakina and Elina Svitolina.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/6/25/alex-eala-venus-williams-bow-out-of-bad-homburg-doubles-after-quarterfinals-loss-2010">READ: Alex Eala, Venus Williams bow out of Bad Homburg doubles after quarterfinals loss </a></div>Standing across the net in the Wimbledon first round is Mexico’s Renata Zarazua, currently ranked world No. 76.Zarazua reached a career-high ranking of No. 51 in November 2024.In singles, Eala and Zarazua have played once before, and the Mexican has defeated the Pinay tennis player. Their encounter was in August 2024 at W100 Cary, North Carolina, where Zarazua prevailed on hard court 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/6/22/tennis-alex-eala-rises-to-world-no-30-after-run-to-berlin-semis-1713">READ: Tennis: Alex Eala rises to world No. 30 after run to Berlin semis </a></div>Eala and Zarazua also have played doubles together at last year’s French Open 2025.The winner of Eala vs Zarazua match sets up a potential exciting second-round showdown with either Serena Williams, who has accepted a wild-card entry into the singles draw, or Australia’s Maya Joint.

It is Alex Eala versus Renata Zarazua of Mexico in first round of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships.

It is Alex Eala versus Renata Zarazua of Mexico in first round of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships.