MADRID: Filipina star Alexandra Eala enjoyed a strong start to her Madrid Open campaign on Wednesday, moving past Russian qualifier Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-3 to reach the second round at the event for the third straight year.

The 44th-ranked lefty needed one hour and 31 minutes to dismiss Pavlyuchenkova, who was a semi-finalist in the Spanish capital in 2021.

The 34-year-old Pavlyu­chenkova, a former French Open runner-up currently ranked 116 in the world, is 0-6 in tour-level main draw matches so far this season.

Eala saved all four break points she faced and broke Pavlyuchenkova twice in a tightly-contested 54-minute opening set.

The 20-year-old phenom briefly lost her advantage in the second set but swept eight points in a row to regain her lead and book a clash with 19th seed Elise Mertens.

“I feel really great. I love Madrid, it’s an amazing tournament,” said Eala, who has been training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca for almost eight years. “Every time I come here, I feel very comfortable, I feel like I’m at home.”

Pavlyuchenkova, who was playing with a heavily-strapped right upper thigh, committed close to 40 unforced errors in what was her first meeting with Eala.

“Every match at this level is a battle, all of us players we fight until the end and she’s been on the tour for many years. So I’m really happy with this win. She’s a great player and I’m really happy to be in the next round,” Eala added.

In ATP action at the Caja Magica, 2021 Madrid finalist Matteo Berrettini crashed out to Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic 6-3, 6-4.

“It’s definitely a big thing for me and it’s a pleasure to share the court with him,” said the 20-year-old former Roland Garros junior champion. Prizmic will next take on American fourth seed Ben Shelton.

Meanwhile, former US Open champion Marin Cilic claimed his first Madrid Open win since 2022 with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 performance against world number 44 Zizou Bergs.

It was the 37-year-old Croatian’s first top-50 victory on clay in four years and it earned him a second-round meeting with Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2026