By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Alex Eala started the year with a bang after a straight set victory in the first qualifying round of the W60 Canberra International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament in Australia Sunday, Jan. 1.
The 17-year-old junior tennis sensation survived a shaky second set for a 6-3, 7-6 (0) win over Mexico’s Marcela Zacarias to jumpstart her campaign.
The triumph set her up a meeting with the winner between wildcard bet Catherine Aulia and Russian Oksana Selekhmeteva.
Interestingly, Selekhmeteva was Eala’s partner when she won the 2021 French Open Girls Doubles title.
“Hello 2023! Starting off the new year with a good win!” Eala wrote on her social media.
Eala is upbeat on this year’s season after making the cut in the qualifying rounds of the 2023 Australian Open late this month.
This would be her first match in the pro level of a Grand Slam.