In a thrilling turn of events, Alex Eala is set to make waves at the Sao Paulo Open as she seeks to build on a remarkable month filled with historic achievements. The 20-year-old tennis prodigy recently etched her name in history books by becoming the first Filipino player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam singles match, stunning the 14th-seeded Clara Tauson at the US Open. Just weeks later, she clinched the biggest title of her career at the WTA 125 Guadalajara Open, propelling her into a new echelon of competition.
After her triumph in Guadalajara, Eala soared up the WTA Rankings, jumping an impressive 14 spots to secure her position as the third seed in Sao Paulo. With the momentum firmly on her side, the young star is eyeing a deep run in the tournament, where she enters as one of the highest-ranked players. Her opening match promises to be an exciting affair as she faces off against qualifier Yasmine Mansouri.
So, who is Yasmine Mansouri? The 24-year-old Frenchwoman may not be a household name among tennis aficionados, but she brings her own brand of tenacity to the court. Having spent the bulk of her career competing on the ITF circuit, Mansouri has amassed five W15-level singles titles, predominantly claiming her victories in Monastir. Despite her relative anonymity, she reached a career-high ranking of No. 314 in February 2025, though she currently sits at No. 380 with a 25-24 win-loss record for the season.
Mansouri has shown flashes of potential this year, reaching three ITF semi-finals. However, her recent performance has been less than stellar, with her last outing resulting in a second-round exit against Linda Fruhvirtova in Leiria. The French player made her WTA Tour debut in 2022 at the Jasmine Open in Monastir, where she faced a tough opening match against Magdalena Frech, losing in straight sets.
The stage is set for this highly anticipated clash, with Eala riding high on her momentum from Guadalajara, while Mansouri enters with a victorious qualifying campaign under her belt. Seeded fourth in the qualifiers, Mansouri dispatched Brazilian wildcard Ana Cruz in a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory, followed by a solid 6-2, 6-4 win over Thaisa Grana Pedretti to secure her place in the main draw.
This matchup marks the first encounter between Eala and Mansouri, a contest that features a staggering 319-place gap in the WTA Rankings. As fans gear up for this opening round of the Sao Paulo Open, anticipation is palpable. The match is expected to unfold on Tuesday, with the victor poised to advance and face either Julia Riera or Vitalia Diatchenko in the next round. Eala’s journey in Sao Paulo is just beginning, and all eyes will be on her as she aims to continue her meteoric rise in the sport.
