By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Alex Eala returned to the junior competition scene with a bang, trouncing Canadian Annabelle Xu, 6-3, 6-0, in the opening round of the US Open Girls Singles in New York Sunday, Sept. 4.
The 10th-seeded Eala made short work of her rival, coming through with a variety of wicked shots to jumpstart her Grand Slam Juniors title bid.
“Good start! Thank you to all who came to watch and cheer for me,” Eala posted on her social media.
Eala needed only 77 minutes to dispose of her rival, and the victory set her up a next meeting with Slovakia’s Nina Vargova, who escaped American Mia Slama’s late rally, 6-0, 7-6 (5).
Eala and Vargova have never met in the junior scene, with the Filipina teen sensation competing mostly in the pros for the past years.
Eala’s last junior competition was actually at the JA Plantation in the United States in December last year, where she failed to get past the second round.
But the 17-year-old boasts of two Grand Slam Junior Doubles titles – the 2020 Australian Open and the 2021 French Open.
Eala is hoping to improve on her quarterfinal appearance last year – her best finish in the grand slam event.
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