alex ira Opened her debut match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with a victory over her first-round opponent. Hayley Baptiste Retiring with a 6-4, 0-1 lead, the Filipino capped off his swing in the Middle East and secured his first WTA 1000 win of the season.

It was a repeat of last year’s Lexus Eastbourne Open qualifying round, when the 20-year-old scored a thrilling 6-7, 7-6, 6-1 victory over the 39th-ranked American.

Ila showed early control from the baseline, surviving a tough opening that saw both players hold serve for the first four games. The set quickly became a battle of returns, with both teams breaking three times in a row, testing their serve patterns and reactions to second balls.

The decisive moment came with the third break, when Ila made the count 4-3. Ila then held serve in the eighth game to take a 5-3 advantage before relying on depth and placement to dominate rallies and calmly serve out to end the set.

The second set began with another extended service game, and Baptiste held firm despite continued pressure. However, after just one more match, the American complained of discomfort in his abdomen and was forced to retire, giving Ila a spot in the round of 32.

Statistically, Eala’s efficiency made the difference.

She wins 70% of her service points, completes 77% of her first serves, and is consistently in aggressive positions. Meanwhile, Baptiste struggled to defend his play, committing three double faults that swung the momentum at key moments in the first set.

Next up for the Filipinos is a tough test against the No. 6 seed. Jasmine Paolinithis will be a matchup that will require sustained aggression and sharper execution as Eala looks to build on his breakthrough victory in Dubai.