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The Philippines has now a “Crown Princess” in sports in Alex Eala.
Before an enthralled Filipino crowd, Eala, 17, became the first Filipino netter to raise a Grand Slam championship trophy in singles event.
Fittingly, it happened in the city that holds a special place in her heart – New York.
Coming through with another virtuoso performance, Eala mowed down Czech No. 2 seed Lucie Havlickova, 6-2, 6-4, to win the US Open Girls crown Sunday (Manila time) at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows.
The 17-year-old Eala, whose grandparents met and fell in love in New York, started in business-like manner, breaking her rival’s serves in the fifth and seventh game of the first set to take full control of the match.
The Czech did try to change the complexion of the game in the second set but Eala had her game all figured.
The coup de grace came in the 9th game when the 10th seeded Eala towered again to break the Czech for the third time – and eventually her spirit.
Eala and family celebrated like never before – and along with her adoring fans from the Filipino community it turned into a fiesta atmosphere. Yes, fiesta in September.
The title win enabled Eala to complete her dream run – advancing to the final with a 6-1, 7-6 (5) victory over ninth-seeded Canadian Victoria Mboko.
It was also the third title for Eala in the majors, having won two doubles crowns – the 2020 Australian Open with Indonesian Priska Nugroho and 2021 French Openn with Russian Oksana Selekhmeteva.
Eala then thanked idol – many-time Grannd Slam champion Rafael Nadal – for her win.
NADAL IS HER IDOL
“My idol is obviously Rafa. He’s a very good role model, something a lot of people should idolise and try to be,” said Eala who is based at the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s academy in Spain.
“The biggest thing I notice in Rafa is how he fights till the end, how his thoughts are so clear.
“He’s so calm, but at the same time so fired up. I think I really tried to channel that energy during this whole week.” (With Kristel Satumbaga/AFP)