Filipina tennis standout Alex Eala is set to open her campaign at the Berlin Tennis Open against Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the first round of the WTA 500 grass-court tournament on Wednesday (PH Time).

The matchup marks a rematch between the two, who previously faced off in the Round of 32 of the ASB Classic earlier this year. Eala came out on top in that match, rallying from a set down to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Eala, one of the rising stars in women’s tennis, enters the Berlin event looking to build momentum on grass as she takes on a more experienced opponent in Vekic, who has been enjoying strong form heading into the tournament.

The Croatian veteran recently captured the Queen’s Club title in London, completing a remarkable run from lucky loser to champion. She capped off her campaign with a dominant 6-0, 7-6 victory over Emma Raducanu in the final.

Vekic is also a familiar figure to Filipino tennis fans, having competed in Manila during the Philippine Women’s Open, where she reached the final and earned local support.

The Berlin Tennis Open, scheduled from June 15 to 21, features a stacked field that includes some of the top players in the world such as Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys and Elena Rybakina.

Eala will aim to replicate her earlier success against Vekic as she begins her bid in one of the key lead-up tournaments to Wimbledon.