By Kristel Satumbaga
Rising star Alex Eala opened her season campaign with a bang, whipping Italian Anna Paradisi, 6-1, 6-1, in the ITF Manacor $15,000 women’s tournament in Spain.
Eala, who entered the tournament hosted by the Rafa Nadal Academy as a junior reserve, proved too classy for her wildcard rival.
The victory arranged the 15-year-old PH bet a tough second-round match against top seed Seone Mendez of Australia, who bested wildcard entry Angela Fita Boluda, 7-6 (4), 6-2.
Mendez, 21, is currently ranked No. 282 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) while Eala is at No. 1187. The Australian also boasted of seven titles in the $15,000 women’s tournaments in 2019.
The win jumpstarted Eala’s goal of getting more exposures in the women’s circuit after playing in only five tournaments last season due to pandemic restrictions.
As a top local junior player, Eala said she has exceeded her goals in the juniors last year after winning the Australian Open Junior Doubles title with Indonesian partner Priska Nugroho and making into the semifinal of the French Open Girls Singles.
