REY C. LACHICA
Looks like Alex Eala is ripe for bigger and tougher events.
That’s because the country’s tennis princess continued to shock and awe the opposition with her rapidly improving game.
Proof of that was a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 upset win over second-seeded Mirjam Bjorklund of Sweden in the opening of the second leg of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Rafa Nadal Academy World Tennis Tour Wednesday in Manacor, Spain.
And she did it three days after bagging her first-ever pro title, a feat that earned her raves from no less than the clay-court king and 20-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal
In that title run, she claimed the scalp of world No. 2 and top seed Seone Mendez of Australia in the second round, 6-4, 6-1.
Little wonder, Eala, 15, was still a picture of confidence against her 22-year-old opponent who boasts of six ITF titles.
Eala was determined to extend her perfect run she punished her rival with double-fisted forehand shots to take the opening set with nary a trouble.
The second set, however, belonged to Bjorklund who produced some wicked shots that oftentimes caught Eala by surprise.
Still, Eala refused to be intimidated as she took the decider by coming through with booming shots and attacking the net at every opportunity to finally take the fight out of her rival.
Bjorklund is currently ranked No. 315 in the WTA and 250 in ITF singles.
Since she joined the pro ranks only last year, Eala is way behind in the rankings – No. 1180 in the WTA and No. 1670 in singles.
But during the game, it was Eala who showed much class and maturity.
In the second round, she will face Spaniard Alba Carrillo Marin – the same player she beat in the opening round of a similar $15,000 event in Castellon last year.
Carrillo Marin advanced with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win over German qualifier Lena Papadakis. The game is being played at presstime.
