Gutsy fight from Alex Eala not enough vs Elena Rybakina at Italian Open

The Philippines’ Alex Eala hits a return to Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina during their women’s singles match at the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 10, 2026. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)

LIVE: Alex Eala vs Elena Rybakina – Italian Open third round

MANILA, Philippines–A scrappy Alex Eala went down swinging against World No. 2 Elena Rybakina in the 2026 Italian Open third round late Sunday night (Manila time) at BNP Paribas Arena in Rome.

Playing her best tennis on clay, Eala made a good account of herself despite a 6-4, 6-3 loss to a red-hot and relentless Rybakina, who notched her 29th victory of the season.

READ: Alex Eala faces tall task vs Elena Rybakina at Italian Open

Down the line, feeling fine 🔥

Elena Rybakina takes her first meeting with Eala in straight sets#IBI26 | @WTA pic.twitter.com/9re2AS4OIh

— Internazionali BNL d'Italia (@InteBNLdItalia) May 10, 2026

Eala, who turns 21 on May 23, showed why she’s among the rising stars in the sport in several stretches of her first meeting with Rybakina, who won this year’s Australian Open.

She won two consecutive games in the second set to take a 2-1 lead, highlighted by breaking Rybakina to love in the third, before the stoic Russian-born Kazakhstani responded quickly by winning the next three games.

Behind a potent serve, the 26-year-old Rybakina delivered six aces and 28 winners.

READ: Alex Eala sweeps Wang Xinyu to reach Italian Open round of 32

Rybakina advanced to the round of 16 in Rome after a stunning loss in the third round last year. She ruled the WTA 1000 tournament in 2023.

Eala reached the third round of a clay tournament for the first time in her career after sweeping China’s Wang Xinyu on Friday in the round of 64.

Eala is expected to see action in the main draw of the French Open later this month.