By Kristel Satumbaga
A few days after Alex Eala’s breakthrough semifinal performance at the French Open Juniors, it was older brother Miko Eala’s turn to shine after he and partner captured a doubles title in the 2020 Lousada Junior Cup II in Portugal over the weekend.
Eala and Daniel Rincon of Spain routed Portuguese pair Miguel Gomez and Henrique Rocha, 6-1, 6-3, for the crown in the Grade 3 tournament.
It was a big feat for Eala, whose last tournament was last March at the XXIX Copa Merengue in Dominican Republic where he made it to the singles quarterfinals.
Eala also competed in the singles but lost in the second round to Gaubas, 5-7, 7-5, 6-3.
Eala and Rincon only dropped a set throughout their campaign, defeating Lithuania’s Vilus Gaubas and Israel’s Orel Kimhi, 6-3, 6-2; Portugal’s Jaime Faria and Tiago Pereira, 6-3, 7-5; and Netherlands Jesse De Jager and Belarus’ Aleksandr Kalinin, 5-7, 6-0, 10-2.
Eala, 18, is expected to play for Penn State University in US NCAA Division I after graduating high school at the Rafa Nadal Academy last June
