The Steffi Graf Stadion saw a massive upset that sent shockwaves through the tennis world, as World No. 35 Alexandra Eala overcame one of the favorites, World No. 2 Elena Rybakina.

The 21-year-old won the contest in straight sets, rallying from a break down in the opener to win 7-5, 6-4 in 1 hour and 32 minutes, and match her career-best win by ranking.

"I am a little foggy right now," Eala said in her on-court interview. "I'm still shaking, and I was shaking on match point, too. But I'm really happy with today, of course."

"It could have gone either way. I think there were really tight moments in both sets, and she's an amazing player. She's the one to beat, so I'm happy to have been able to share the court with her again." Eala expressed admiration for Rybakina.

This victory marked Eala's fifth career Top 10 victory. What's even more impressive is that all came in straight sets, with four of those coming against Top 5 opponents. Eala and Rybakina are now one win apiece in head-to-head.

Rybakina was in blistering form and opened the match with three aces and went on to extend her lead to 4-1. But that is where the momentum shifted, and Eala went on to return more of her serves and kept the ball in play for as long as possible.

With Eala firing back, Rybakina quickly saw herself trailing 6-5 in the first set, as the Filipino's composure, along with a few aces of her own, made life difficult for the World No. 2.

Eala will have all the confidence in the world after getting the upset victory over Rybakina. Still, the road to semis in the Berlin Open does not get any easier as she faces another high-profile matchup.

Alexandra Eala Faces Elina Svitolina in the Quarterfinals

A fresh matchup is upon us between Eala and the No. 6 seed Elina Svitolina, as the two players face each other for the first time. With no history to go back to, it is hard to predict who will have the upper hand. But Eala is not taking her opponent lightly.

"Elina is a very consistent player," Eala told reporters.

"She is obviously a huge fighter with her background and her experience. But she's also able to be aggressive when she needs to be. So I'm expecting a really good match, and I hope to bring out the best and showcase my tennis."

As compared to Eala, the Ukrainian has had a comfortable tournament so far, overcoming both opponents in straight sets.

The quarterfinal takes place this Friday, and it will be interesting to see what trick Eala has up her sleeve this time to take down the World No. 8.

So, who do you think will reach the semifinals of the Berlin Open? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy