Iga Swiatek showed why she's one of the top players in the world with a gritty comeback win over rising star Alexandra Eala at the 2025 Madrid Open on April 24. In a second-round match that tested her tactical sharpness and mental resilience, Swiatek eventually triumphed 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 at the Manolo Santana Stadium, taking two hours and 15 minutes to secure her place in the third round.
The match was a revenge showdown of sorts—just last month at the Miami Open, Eala had shocked Swiatek in straight sets, part of a dream run that included wins over Ostapenko and Madison Keys, and made her the first Filipina to crack the WTA top 100.
In Madrid, Eala started strong again, taking advantage of Swiatek’s early unforced errors to go up 3-1 and then closing the first set 6-4, even saving a crucial break point. She broke Swiatek again early in the second, going 3-2 up. But that’s where Swiatek flipped the switch—breaking back and then snatching momentum with two consecutive breaks to take the set 6-4.
By the third set, the defending champion had found her rhythm. Despite an early break from Eala, Swiatek dominated the baseline rallies, reeling off three straight games and eventually closing out the set 6-2 with her trademark composure and heavy topspin.
Swiatek, in her post-match comments, acknowledged the fast nature of Madrid’s clay, which demands versatility:
"You need to be smart with tactics. Sometimes, play with spin, sometimes a bit more flat... I’m gonna try to balance that in the next matches."
She now faces Linda Noskova from Czechia next, who cruised past Maria Lourdes Carl of Argentina in straight sets.
This win underscores Swiatek’s adaptability and mental strength, and though Alexandra Eala walks away with a loss, she continues to prove she belongs among the elite, taking yet another Grand Slam champion to the edge.
