Alex Eala looks ready and prepared for the Wimbledon Girls Championship in London.
This she proved in a 6-4, 6-4 win over Czech Darja Vidmanova in the opening round of the J1 Roehampton tournament Thursday morning (Manila time) in London.
Seeded No. 2, Eala, who is ranked No. 3 in the world, is using the event to gain more confidence in time for the Wimbledon juniors set Monday next week.
Up next for the 16-year-old Eala is Italian Matilde Paoletti.
It was a fine start for the Filipina netter as she teamed up with 18-year old Indonesian Priska Madelyn Nugroho to beat Nicole Rivkin of Germany and Hanne Vandewinkel of Belgium, 7-6, 7-5.
Eala and Nugroho collide with Barbora Palicova of the Czech Republic and Radka Zelnickova of Slovakia in the next round.
Eala is looking to win her third Grand Slam juniors doubles title, having won the Australian Open Girls crown with Nugroho. Last month, she paired with Russian partner Oksana Selekhmeteva to beat Amarissa Toth of Russia and Maria Bondarenko of Hungary, 6-0, 7-5, in the final of the French Open. (REY C. LACHICA)
