Eala is the story of this whole tournament and nobody wants to say it out loud. She knocked out Zheng, then she dumped the defending champion off her own court. She has already beaten Svitolina once this summer and she did not look bothered doing it. Twenty-one years old, biggest week of her career, swinging free with nothing to lose. Svitolina is the safe name here, and safe names are exactly who kids playing like this beat. Eala takes it in three.

Careful. That Berlin win was on grass, and this is not grass. Svitolina came through her last match in straights and saved her legs. Eala has spent a lot longer on court than that. And she pulled out of the doubles. Nobody has said why. That is the part your story leaves out. Still. Top ten or not, this woman has already lost to her once. I have it going the distance either way.

The Berlin meeting is the thing that matters here. Same two bodies, and Eala won it without much trouble. On a hard court she is the cleaner ball-striker of the two and her season on this surface is the better one. I make Eala about a 45% shot tonight. Unibet have her at 2.80 when a lot of the board sits nearer 2.50, so that is where the money goes. The games handicap pays less for the same read. Eala to win it, and I have her doing it in three sets.

Give me Eala to win the match outright.

I will take Eala, but I am not thrilled about it.