Eastbourne Tennis

FRITZ BREEZES TO FIFTH GRASS COURT CROWN
Taylor Fritz turned on the style to brush aside US compatriot Jenson Brooksby 7-5 6-1 in a one-sided Eastbourne Open final.

The world no5 picked up the pace after cautiously edging the opening set against Brooksby, the first-ever lucky loser to reach the Eastbourne men’s final, who he had thrashed at the 2025 Australian Open.

He picked his spots to produce some magical shots to fearlessly race away with the second set and collect his fourth title at Devonshire Park, his fifth on grass, to reach double figures of ATP Tour crowns.

Top seed Fritz had looked out of sorts at Easbourne until his thrilling semi-final success over Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

The defending champion will confidently head into next week’s Wimbledon having warmed up on grass adding this year’s Eastbourne crown to his successes in 2019, 2022 and 2024.

EASTBOURNE OPEN FINAL
T.Fritz (1) defeated J.Brooksby (LL) 7-5 6-1

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JOINT SAVES MATCH POINTS TO CLINCH EASTBOURNE
Maya Joint picked up her second WTA Tour crown on a thrilling third set tiebreak to win the Eastbourne Open.

The 19-year-old Aussie saved four Championship points to fend off qualifier Alexandra Eala in a sensational 146-minute final 6-4 1-6 7-6(10).

The Centre Court showpiece, contested between the youngest finalists at Devonshire Park since Tracy Austin beat US compatriot Andrea Jaeger in 1982, started off with a fiercely fought opening set.

Then 20-year-old Eala started her comeback trail by breezing past her US-born opponent to set up a third and decisive set.

This became a real ding-dong battle of high quality between two emerging stars that both shone in the traditional Wimbledon warm-up tournament.

With breaks of serve, tenacious teenager Joint saved four match points against the Filipino ace. She fluffed her first match point, before securing her the title with a backhand cross court winner to add to last month’s Rabat Open trophy.

EASTBOURNE OPEN FINAL
M.Joint defeated A.Eala (6-4 1-6 7-6(10)

UNDERDOG BROOKSBY HAS A SNIFF OF SERVING UP A SHOCK
Taylor Fritz’s Saturday afternoon showdown with US compatriot Jacob Brooksby is not anticipated to be the breeze it appears on paper, when they contest the Eastbourne Open final on Centre Court.

Top seed and defending champion Fritz only picked up the pace at Devonshire Park for his semi-final three-setter against Spain’s no6 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Fritz got the ball rolling for winning Eastbourne in 2019, following it up with triumphs in 2022 and 2024. He has a shot at making it four titles on the picturesque English south coast when he plays lucky loser Brooksby.

Brooksby (pictured) initially looked second best in his semi-final, before shifting through the gears to oust French no4 seed Ugo Humbert in just under three hours.

Battling Brooksby, the first-ever lucky loser to reach the Eastbourne men’s final, beat world no5 Fritz in their inaugural meeting.

Although the unorthodox player was overawed in their 2025 Australian Open meeting, collecting just five games in three sets, his ability to cause upsets as the underdog all week is not to be sniffed at.

SINGLES ORDER OF PLAY

Centre Court
WTA | A.Eala (Q) v M.Joint
ATP | T.Fritz (1) v J.Brooksby (LL)

EALA HAS A SHOT AT MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Alexandra Eala and Maya Joint are unexpected finalists for the 2025 Eastbourne Open, which highlights the rising talent of young aces on the WTA Tour.

Qualifier Eala (pictured) will be contesting her seventh match at the tournament. Her toughest match at Devonshire Park was yesterday’s topsy turvy Centre Court clash, a three set thriller to see off French-Russian Varvara Gracheva.

Following her extraordinary run to the quarter-finals at the Miami Open, defeating three former Grand Slam champions, the 20-year-old Filipino’s clay court season proved disappointing. Yet her grass court prowess has served her well at Nottingham and Eastbourne.

US-born teenager Joint, who moved allegiance to Australia three years ago, was dominant in her two-setted semi-final success against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. She had already accounted for two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur and British no1 Emma Raducanu.
This will be the youngest women’s final at Eastbourne since US teenagers Tracy Austin and Andrea Jaeger met in 1981.

Eala will be playing in her maiden WTA Tour final, while 19-year-old Joint will be competing in her second having won last month’s Rabat Open in Morocco without dropping a set.

Victory for either player will be a massive boost before next week’s Wimbledon, and elevate them within the world’s top 50.

SINGLES ORDER OF PLAY

Centre Court
WTA | A.Eala (Q) v M.Joint
ATP | T.Fritz (1) v J.Brooksby (LL)

SATURDAY EASTBOURNE OPEN
SINGLES ORDER OF PLAY

Centre Court
WTA | A.Eala (Q) v M.Joint
ATP | T.Fritz (1) v J.Brooksby (LL)

FRITZ FINDS HIS GROOVE ON GRASS
Taylor Fritz booked what has become a regular spot in the Eastbourne Open final, after overcoming the gritty no6 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a fascinating 94-minute contest.

The encounter between the top seed (pictured), who had lost three of his previous four encounters against the Spaniard, brought the Centre Court crowd back to life following the frequently dull semi-final won by Jacob Brooksby.

Lucky loser Brooksby was given an early runaround by French no4 seed Ugo Humbert, but midway through the second set lifted his game.

This extra burst of energy and determination paid dividends, as he claimed a Saturday showdown with US compatriot Fritz, courtesy of a fiercely fought 6-7(9) 6-4 6-4 win in 169 minutes.

World no5 Fritz and Davidovich Fokina, the first Spaniard to reach the Eastbourne men’s semi-final for over a decade, were cheered on throughout by the ever dwindling Centre Court spectators.

After the clash was pushed to a decisive third set, and the wind having picked up, it was probably a relief that Fritz finally found his groove on grass this week to chalk up a comfortable 6-3 3-6 6-1 success.

Brooksby and Fritz will be meeting for the third time, having one win apiece, with the reigning champion considered to be the overwhelming favourite to pick up his fourth Eastbourne Open crown in six tournaments.

FRIDAY EASTBOURNE OPEN (ATP)
RESULTS

Centre Court
J.Brooksby (LL) defeated U.Humbert (4) 6-7(9) 6-4 6-4
T.Fritz (1) d. A.Davidovich Fokina (6) 6-3 3-6 6-1

JOINT SETS UP YOUTHFUL FINAL
Maya Joint is on course to clinch her second career WTA Tour title, following her straight set semi-final success over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Centre Court.

The 19-year-old US-born ace (pictured), who relocated three years ago to Brisbane and has since become an Australian citizen, appeared to be in trouble when trailing Pavlyuchenkova 5-3.

She battled back by winning the next four games on the bounce to secure the opening set. With the bit between her teeth, Joint outmanoeuvred her Russian opponent to seal an impressive 7-5 6-3 triumph in 86 minutes.

Rabat champion Joint is set to face Filipino 20-year-old Alexandra Eala tomorrow, which will be the youngest Eastbourne ladies singles final since Tracy Austin (18) beat her US compatriot Andrea Jaeger (16) in 1981.

FRIDAY EASTBOURNE OPEN (WTA)
RESULTS

Centre Court
A.Eala (Q) defeated V.Gracheva (Q) 7-5 2-6 6-3
M.Joint d. A.Pavlyuchenkova 7-5 6-3

EALA BECOMES MAIDEN FILIPINO WTA FINALIST
Alexandra Eala treated the Devonshire Court Centre to a glimpse of a future star by overcoming fellow qualifier Varvara Gracheva in a 142-minute three-set tussle.

The left-handed 20-year-old (pictured) continued her unbeaten streak at the Eastbourne Open to triumph 7-5 2-6 6-3 and become the first-ever Filipino to reach a WTA final.

Eala had required three sets to overcome Russian-French Gracheva on grass in last week’s Nottingham Open, and had to work equally as hard in their latest encounter.

Eala, a semi-finalist at March’s Miami Open, has bounced back from an average clay court season to embrace playing on grass. Her Eastbourne run included a win over Lativa’s former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.

She admitted during her court side interview: “There were tough moments where she was playing well, and I didn't know how to get out of it. The fact that I was able to stay there and wait for my opportunities was a big achievement for me."

Eala is set to return to Centre Court to face either Australian teenager Maya Joint or Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in tomorrow’s WTA Tour final

FRIDAY EASTBOURNE OPEN (WTA)
ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court
A.Eala (Q) defeated V.Gracheva (Q) 7-5 2-6 6-3
WTA | M.Joint v A.Pavlyuchenkova

SPANISH SHOCK ON THE CARDS FOR TOP SEED
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will fancy his chances in today’s Centre Court clash against defending champion Taylor Fritz, having beaten the American ace in three of their four ATP Tour meetings.

The no6 seed (pictured), who became the first Spaniard to reach the Eastbourne men’s semi-final for over a decade courtesy of a straight set success over Czech Republic’s Jakub Mensik.

US star Fritz has yet to find his groove at Devonshire Park, and twice competed on Centre Court yesterday.

The top seed polished off Joao Fonseca when they resumed play, following bad light on Wednesday evening, by taking the deciding set 7-5. He returned to Centre Court in the afternoon, and stuttered past compatriot Marcos Giron 6-3 6-7(5) 7-5.

Today’s Centre Court semi-final meeting between Ugo Humbert against Jenson Brooksby could have been an all British encounter.

France’s no4 seed Humbert required a tense tiebreak before breezing past Brit Billy Harris 7-6(4) 6-1 on Court 1 to collect a final four berth.

While US lucky loser Brooksby had few problems to dispatch British wildcard Dan Evans 6-2 6-3, and his unorthodox style of play could surprise his opponents and spectators alike. Humbert beat Brooksby in their only meeting.

FRIDAY EASTBOURNE OPEN (ATP)
ORDER OF PLAY

Centre Court
U.Humbert (4) v J.Brooksby (LL)
T.Fritz (1) v A.Davidovich Fokina (6)

PAVLYUCHENKOVA PREPARES FOR JOINT
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova turned on the style against her Russian compatriot to reach her maiden WTA Tour semi-final on grass.

She stormed through the decisive third set against Kamilla Rakhimova 6-2 2-6 6-0 to secure her first last four berth since the 2024 Qatar Open in Doha.

Pavlyuchenkova (pictured) faces teenager Maya Joint in their Eastbourne Open showdown on Centre Court. The 19-year-old Australian was not at her best yesterday to beat Russia’s Anna Blinkova 6-4 7-5.

Joint, who this week accounted for the scalp of British darling Emma Raducanu, has warmed up for Wimbledon in style by chalking up her third WTA Tour semi-final this season and in May collected her first-ever singles title at Rabat.

FRIDAY EASTBOURNE OPEN (WTA)
ORDER OF PLAY

Centre Court
A.Eala (Q) v V.Gracheva (Q)
M.Joint v A.Pavlyuchenkova

EALA AIMING HIGHER THAN MIAMI
Varvara Gracheva stands in the way of sensational qualifier Alexandra Eala from making her maiden WTA Tour appearance.

Eala (pictured) was formidable on Centre Court yesterday, although was not tested against Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska. The Filipino soared into the last four with seven breaks of serve for an emphatic 6-1 6-2 triumph.

The French ace will be fully rested after her scheduled Centre Court showdown with Czech no2 seed Barbora Krejcikova was called off. The Wimbledon winner withdrew from the Eastbourne Open because of a right thigh injury.

Left-hander Eala will be expecting to go one step better than her incredible run to the Miami semi-final in March, where she narrowly lost to American Jessica Pegula as she recently beat Gracheva on grass.

The 20-year-old has bounced back from a torrid time on clay and found her feet on grass, so should be brimming with confidence having edged past Gracheva in their Nottingham Open qualifier 6-3 3-6 6-3.

FRIDAY EASTBOURNE OPEN (WTA)
ORDER OF PLAY

Centre Court
A.Eala (Q) v V.Gracheva (Q)
M.Joint v A.Pavlyuchenkova

FRIDAY EASTBOURNE OPEN
ORDER OF PLAY

Centre Court
WTA | A.Eala (Q) v V.Gracheva (Q)
WTA | M.Joint v A.Pavlyuchenkova

ATP | U.Humbert (4) v J.Brooksby (LL)
ATP | T.Fritz (1) v A.Davidovich Fokina (6)