FILIPINA tennis star Alex Eala continued her impressive run heading into the Australian Open after securing another straight-sets victory over Croatia’s Donna Vekic at the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne on Wednesday.

Eala prevailed, 6-3, 6-4, marking her second win over Vekic— the Paris Olympics silver medalist— in a span of just over a week.

The two first crossed paths earlier this month at the ASB Classic in Auckland, where Eala escaped with a hard-fought three-set win, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, in the opening round.

The Kooyong Classic match saw the Filipina display composure and consistency, neutralizing Vekic’s power game to close out the contest in straight sets and boost her confidence ahead of the season’s first Grand Slam.

Eala recently advanced to the semifinals of the WTA 250 event in Auckland before bowing to China’s Xinyu Wang in a tightly contested three-setter.

The Kooyong Classic serves as Eala’s final tune-up before she competes in the main draw of the Australian Open, scheduled from January 18 to February 1. While the exhibition tournament does not award ranking points, it has provided valuable match play against elite competition.

The 20-year-old Filipina also enters Melbourne with momentum after climbing to a career-high world ranking of No. 49, underscoring her steady rise on the WTA Tour.