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Posts tagged as “Venus Williams”

Nicholls and Mihalíková defeats Eala and veteran Williams in the Quarterfinals of the 2026 Bad Homburg Open Doubles

The highly anticipated partnership of rising Filipina star Alex Eala and tennis legend Venus Williams came to an end in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Bad Homburg Open. The duo fell in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, to the formidable second-seeded tandem of Great Britain’s Olivia Nicholls and Slovakia’s Tereza Mihalíková.

Eala and Williams, teaming up for the first time at the WTA 500 grass-court event, showed early promise but struggled against the precise play of their opponents. Nicholls and Mihalíková capitalized on multiple break points, executing a masterclass in grass-court doubles that wrapped up the match in 80 minutes to advance to the semifinals.

Game highlights;

With their exit in the 2026 Bad Homburg Open, Alex Eala can now focus on her upcoming 2026 Wimbledon Championships debut this June 29th to July 12th.

Williams and Eala Secure Straight-Sets Debut Win in Bad Homburg

In an exciting cross-generational debut, tennis icon Venus Williams and rising star Alex Eala advanced to the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 Bad Homburg Open, defeating Catherine Harrison and Alexandra Osborne 6-3, 6-4.

The wildcard duo showcased immediate chemistry, racing to a commanding 4-0 lead in the opening set. Relying on Williams’ powerful baseline game and Eala’s sharp net reflexes, they captured the first set comfortably.

The second set delivered a tougher, see-saw battle. Harrison and Osborne mounted a strong fightback to lead 3-2, but Williams and Eala responded with their own run, late breaks to tie the set at 4-4, the Filipino-American pair secured a crucial break before Williams served out the match with authority.

Key Stats:

  • Williams/Eala won 75% of their first-serve points.
  • The duo converted 4 of 7 break points.

While Eala bounced back from a tough singles exit, the 46-year-old Williams gained vital grass-court momentum. Next up, the duo will face a steep quarterfinal test against the second-seeded tandem of Tereza Mihalíková and Olivia Nicholls.

Mertens Remains Perfect Against Eala with Straight-Sets Win at Bad Homburg Open

Belgian veteran Elise Mertens extended her perfect head-to-head record against Alex Eala to 3-0, defeating the Filipina sensation 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of the Bad Homburg Open.

Fresh off a stellar semifinal run in Berlin that pushed her to a world No. 30 ranking, Eala showed early flashes of brilliance, racing to a promising 3-1 lead in the opening set. However, the 24th-ranked Mertens quickly stabilized, unleashing 10 aces and a commanding baseline game to reel off five straight games. Mertens carried that momentum through the second set to seal the victory, though Eala fought valiantly, saving two match points.

Next up for Eala is the doubles tournament, where she partners with tennis legend Venus Williams, while Elise Mertens moves on to face Naomi Osaka in the Round of 16.

Alex Eala and Iva Jovic defeats Venus Williams and Elina Svitolin, to advance to the Quarter Finals of ASB Classic

In an impressive start to the year, Alex Eala (20) and Iva Jovic (18) defeated veterans Venus Williams and Elina Svitolina 7-6, 6-1. The rising stars now advance to the quarterfinals of the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand.

Here’s what Eala said about the victory;
“To start the year with a moment like this & sharing the court with 2 pioneers of the sport & pioneers off the court as well… People I looked up to since I was young.”

In the Quarter Finals, Alex Eala and Iva Jovic will face the winner between Asia Muhammad/Erin Routliffe and Jesika Maleckova/Renata Zarazua.

Checkout the game highlights below;